Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field
The influence of ocean surface currents on the global wind-wave field is revisited. State-of-the-art numerical spectral wave model simulations with and without surface currents taken from an eddy resolving global ocean reanalysis were compared. As a global average, simulations forced with currents d...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101792 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143727 |
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:143727 2023-05-15T18:25:38+02:00 Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field Echevarria, ER Hemer, MA Holbrook, NJ 2021 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101792 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143727 en eng Elsevier Sci Ltd http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143727/2/143727 - Global implications of surface current modulation.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101792 Echevarria, ER and Hemer, MA and Holbrook, NJ, Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field, Ocean Modelling, 161 Article 101792. ISSN 1463-5003 (2021) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143727 Earth Sciences Oceanography Physical oceanography Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2021 ftunivtasecite https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101792 2022-08-30T09:11:43Z The influence of ocean surface currents on the global wind-wave field is revisited. State-of-the-art numerical spectral wave model simulations with and without surface currents taken from an eddy resolving global ocean reanalysis were compared. As a global average, simulations forced with currents display significantly better agreement with altimeter derived wave heights. The bias and root mean square error in significant wave heights are mostly reduced when including current forcing, especially in the Southern Ocean. An overall improvement in wave periods and wave direction is also seen when comparing model outputs with the Australian and United States buoy network observations. Including surface ocean current forcing in wave simulations reduces the simulated wave heights in most areas of the world, due to a decreased relative wind given by co-flowing winds and currents. Current-induced refraction generates important changes in wave direction in western boundary current and tropical regions. Furthermore, large and broad changes in friction velocity, atmosphere-to-ocean energy flux, whitecap cover and Stokes drift velocities are observed in equatorial regions. Finally, the importance of the wave model resolution for representing wavecurrent interactions was tested by comparing results from eddy-permitting (lower resolution) and eddy-resolving (higher resolution) configurations. We conclude that the main patterns of current-induced refraction are well represented in both cases, albeit that the higher resolution simulation represents these in a more detailed manner. Finally, the implications that the observed wavecurrent interactions have on several ocean processes are discussed. Article in Journal/Newspaper Southern Ocean eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Southern Ocean Ocean Modelling 161 101792 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasecite |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth Sciences Oceanography Physical oceanography |
spellingShingle |
Earth Sciences Oceanography Physical oceanography Echevarria, ER Hemer, MA Holbrook, NJ Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field |
topic_facet |
Earth Sciences Oceanography Physical oceanography |
description |
The influence of ocean surface currents on the global wind-wave field is revisited. State-of-the-art numerical spectral wave model simulations with and without surface currents taken from an eddy resolving global ocean reanalysis were compared. As a global average, simulations forced with currents display significantly better agreement with altimeter derived wave heights. The bias and root mean square error in significant wave heights are mostly reduced when including current forcing, especially in the Southern Ocean. An overall improvement in wave periods and wave direction is also seen when comparing model outputs with the Australian and United States buoy network observations. Including surface ocean current forcing in wave simulations reduces the simulated wave heights in most areas of the world, due to a decreased relative wind given by co-flowing winds and currents. Current-induced refraction generates important changes in wave direction in western boundary current and tropical regions. Furthermore, large and broad changes in friction velocity, atmosphere-to-ocean energy flux, whitecap cover and Stokes drift velocities are observed in equatorial regions. Finally, the importance of the wave model resolution for representing wavecurrent interactions was tested by comparing results from eddy-permitting (lower resolution) and eddy-resolving (higher resolution) configurations. We conclude that the main patterns of current-induced refraction are well represented in both cases, albeit that the higher resolution simulation represents these in a more detailed manner. Finally, the implications that the observed wavecurrent interactions have on several ocean processes are discussed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Echevarria, ER Hemer, MA Holbrook, NJ |
author_facet |
Echevarria, ER Hemer, MA Holbrook, NJ |
author_sort |
Echevarria, ER |
title |
Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field |
title_short |
Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field |
title_full |
Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field |
title_fullStr |
Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field |
title_full_unstemmed |
Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field |
title_sort |
global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field |
publisher |
Elsevier Sci Ltd |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101792 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143727 |
geographic |
Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean |
genre |
Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143727/2/143727 - Global implications of surface current modulation.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101792 Echevarria, ER and Hemer, MA and Holbrook, NJ, Global implications of surface current modulation of the wind-wave field, Ocean Modelling, 161 Article 101792. ISSN 1463-5003 (2021) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/143727 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2021.101792 |
container_title |
Ocean Modelling |
container_volume |
161 |
container_start_page |
101792 |
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1766207224811618304 |