Evaluation and continued improvements to the TOGA COARE 3.0 bulk flux algorithm using CBLAST data

The transfer of momentum, heat, and water vapor across the sea surface couples the atmosphere with the ocean. From an atmospheric perspective, the transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the atmosphere represents the energy that drives the atmospheric engine. In turn, the momentum exchange from atmosphere to ocean drives waves and currents and willing removing energy from the atmosphere. To improve marine forecasts and coupled atmosphere-ocean models, we need to improve our understanding of these physical process and the way they are simulated in numerical models. These talk will describe some of these efforts using data taken during the recently completed Coupled Boundary Layers and Air-Sea Transfer (CBLAST) experiments. The talk will describe ongoing efforts to improve parameterizations to estimate momentum and heat fluxes using the TOGA COARE 3.0 bulk algorithm. Topics of interests will include a discussion of wind-wave-swell interaction at low winds, equilibrium seas at high winds, and heat and moisture exchange in stratified conditions.