Air-sea flux measurements from a buoy in a coastal ocean region

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) deployed its 'flux' research buoy off Duck, North Carolina and in San Diego and Monterey Bays in 1996-1999 as part of the collaborative EOPACE experiment. Momentum and buoyancy fluxes were measured on the buoy using the direct-covariance and inertial dissipation methods and were estimated with a bulk model. One and two-dimensional wave spectra were also measured. The methods used to obtain the flux and wave data from a buoy are described briefly. The buoy data are analyzed to demonstrate variations of the neutral drag coefficient with wind speed, stability, fetch, offshore/onshore winds, wave age, wind-wave direction difference and other parameters in a coastal environment. Comparisons are made between the direct covariance, inertial dissipation and bulk fluxes to investigate the validity of the inertial dissipation and bulk methods under various conditions. Comparisons between the NPS buoy and LONGEZ aircraft measured fluxes will also be made.