A statistical method to get surface level air-temperature from satellite observations of precipitable water

Ten-day mean surface level air-temperature from SSMI precipitable water (SSMI-T _a ) has been derived and compared with the temperature from two ocean data buoys (Buoy-T _a ) of Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) for a period of six months (July–December, 1988). Statistical relations between air-temperature and mixing ratio, using data from ocean data buoys are used to derive air-temperature from mixing ratio, obtained from SSMI precipitable water. For getting the mixing ratio from precipitable water, regional mixing ratio-precipitable water relations have been used, instead of global relation proposed by Liu (1986). The rms errors (standard deviation of the difference between SSMI-T _a and Buoy-T _a ) for two buoy locations are found to be 1.15 and 1.12°C, respectively. Surface level temperature for the two buoy locations are also derived using direct regression relation between Buoy-T _a and precipitable water. The rms errors of the SSMI-T _a , in this case are found to be reduced to 1.0°C.     

Evaluation of Vector Winds Observed by NSCAT in the Seas around Japan

In order to validate wind vectors derived from the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT), two NSCAT wind products of different spatial resolutions are compared with observations by buoys and research vessels in the seas around Japan. In general, the NSCAT winds agree well with the wind data from the buoys and vessels. It is shown that the root-mean-square (rms) difference between NSCAT-derived wind speeds and the buoy observations is 1.7 ms^–1, which satisfies the mission requirement of accuracy, 2 ms^–1. However, the rms difference of wind directions is slightly larger than the mission requirement, 20°. This result does not agree with those of previous studies on validation of the NSCAT-derived wind vectors using buoy observations, and is considered to be due to differences in the buoy observation systems. It is also shown that there are no significant systematic trends of the NSCAT wind speed and direction depending on the wind speed and incidence angle. Comparison with ship winds shows that the NSCAT wind speeds are lower than those observed by the research vessels by about 0.7 ms^–1 and this bias is twice as large for data observed by moving ships than by stationary ships. This result suggests that the ship winds may be influenced by errors caused by ship's motion, such as pitching and rolling.     

强风条件下海面拖曳系数和粗糙长度研究

进一步研究强风条件下海-气湍流动量交换以及海浪特征,有助于提高数值天气模式对台风强度演变、移动路径以及恶劣海况的预报能力。依照前人的方法将台风分为风向与浪向(1)相同,(2)相反,和(3)交叉3个扇形区,并结合台风路径数据,得到了浮标数据相对于台风的方位。分别对3种类型的浮标数据进行分析,进而发现了波浪高度和相速度随风速增加而变化的规律。并利用GWW参数化方案计算出摩擦速度(u_*)、拖曳系数(C_DN)和粗糙长度(z₀)。将这些结果与前人代表性的研究论文中所用观测数据和所得研究结论进行比较,结果表明二者有较强的一致性。该研究证明GWW参数化方案在强风条件下依然有很好的适用性。     

Evaluation of marine surface winds observed by SeaWinds and AMSR on ADEOS-II

Marine surface winds observed by two microwave sensors, SeaWinds and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR), on the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) are evaluated by comparison with off-shore moored buoy observations. The wind speed and direction observed by SeaWinds are in good agreement with buoy data with root-mean-squared (rms) differences of approximately 1 m s⁻¹ and 20°, respectively. No systematic biases depending on wind speed or cross-track wind vector cell location are discernible. The effects of oceanographic and atmospheric environments on the scatterometry are negligible. Though the wind speed observed by AMSR also showed agreement with buoy observations with rms difference of 1.27 m s⁻¹, the AMSR wind speed is systematically lower than the buoy data for wind speeds lower than 5 m s⁻¹. The AMSR wind seems to have a discontinuous trend relative to the buoy data at wind speeds of 5–6 m s⁻¹. Similar results have been obtained in an intercomparison of wind speeds globally observed by SeaWinds and AMSR on the same orbits. A global wind speed histogram of the AMSR wind shows skewed features in comparison with those of SeaWinds and European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses.     

Mapping the sea surface using a GPS buoy

On May 22 and 24, 1995, a buoy, designed to float with the water surface and equipped with a GPS antenna, was deployed off the California coast at 16 locations near the Texaco oil platform, Harvest. The purpose of this deployment was threefold:.(1) to demonstrate the ability of this style of buoy to calibrate the TOPEXIPOSEIDON (TIP) altimeter range measurement as it overflew the platform: (2) to demonstrate the ability of the buoy to map the ocean's surface over a 10‐km‐diameter circle surrounding platform Harvest; and (3) to demonstrate the ability of the buoy to measure the sea state accurately. During the 1.6‐h period surrounding the time of the TIP overflight, the buoy‐measured sea level never differed by more than 1.5 cm from the sea level measured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) acoustic tide gauge on the platform. The good agreement demonstrated the capability of this style of buoy to calibrate altimetric satellites. A paraboloid was fitted to sea level from 16 buoy locations surrounding the platform with a 2.5‐cm rms residual. On a 10‐km‐diameter circle centered on the platform, the paraboloid was within 2.4‐cm rms of the Ohio State University Mean Sea Surface (OSUMSS95). H _u3 values calculated around the overflight times from the GPS buoy vertical positions had a mean difference of 2 cm and a standard deviation of 18 cm from values calculated from the University of Colorado (CU) pressure gauge system. At the time of the overflight, H _u3 was near 2 m, while 3‐m seas were observed by the CU pressure system during measurements later in the day. This experiment demonstrates that a simple wave‐rider buoy design can give comparable accuracies to that of more complex GPS platforms such as the University of Colorado's spar buoy, but is much easier to deploy and capable of being used in more severe weather conditions. Thus, such a buoy and derivative designs have great potential for calibrating altimetric experiments, and for oceanographic and geodetic mapping experiments.     

Pumping rates of the mud shrimpCallianassa japonica

Pumping rate of a mud shrimp,Callianassa japonica, in its burrow was measured by continuous monitoring of dye concentration in the burrow water. Measurement of dilution in two directions from stained overlying seawater to normal burrow water andvice versa, gave no significant difference in results. The rate of exchange (v) of burrow water was estimated from,v=(u _t−u ₀)V/(m−u _t−1)t, whereV is volume of burrow water,u ₀,u _t−1 andu _tis dye concentration of burrow water at time 0,t−1 andt, respectively, andm is dye concentration of overlying water. The pumping rate ranged from 0.63 to 5.46 ml min⁻¹, which corresponded to a turnover time for the burrow water of 7–51 min. Short term changes in the pumping rate were correlated to intermittent behaviour of the shrimp in the burrow.     

The roughness height and drag law over the water surface based on the hypothesis of local equilibrium

A series of measurements of winds and wind-waves were carried out in wind-wave flumes. A data analysis based on the hypothesis of local equilibrium yielded a new empirical formula on the controversial quantity of roughness heightz ₀ over the water surface: , where the nondimensional roughness height is defined bygz ₀/u _* ² and the wave-wind parameterũ byω _p u _*/g, g being the gravitational acceleration,u _* the friction velocity of air,ω _p the peak frequency of wind-wave spectra. The obtained formula is compared with Charnock's (1955) and Toba's (1979) proposals; is constant in the former and inversely proportional toũ in the latter. As in Toba's, this formula immediately leads to a practically important conclusion that the drag coefficientC _d depends not merely on the usual variableU ₁₀ (wind velocity at 10m height over the water surface), but also on the surface state represented by wind-waves. An explicit expression is provided for the drag coefficient incorporating the wave-wind parameter; it covers the range ofC _d calculated from most of the previous drag formulas, by varying the wave-wind parameter.     

On the compression behavior of remolded cement-admixed soft clay

Although extensive research has been performed on the mechanical properties of cement-stabilized clays, quite a few attempts have been made on the compression behavior of remolded cement-admixed clays. The results from oedometer tests have been discussed to investigate the compressibility of remolded cement-admixed clays, taking into consideration cement amount and curing time. The findings show that the difference in shape and position of compression curves is attributed to cement amount and curing time. Most compression index (C_c) values of remolded cement-admixed clays are greater than those of untreated clay due to the presence of remolded yield stress σ′_yr that is closely related to initial water content and clay fabric. Based on the obtained test data, the relationships of C_c vs. e₀, C_c vs. w₀, C_c vs. e₁, C_c vs. e_yr, and σ′_yr vs. e_yr are preliminarily discussed and quantitatively established. Especially, an important divergence of void index I_v at effective stress σ′_v less than remolded yield stress σ′_yr can be observed at different cement amounts and curing durations. Being independent on cement amount, curing time, and initial state of soil, an excellent convergence occurs at stress σ′_v greater than yield stress σ′_yr. The normalized compression curves of I_v vs. σ′_v at σ′_v?>?σ′_y can be expressed by a unique line that agrees well with intrinsic compression line (ICL) and extended ICL.     

Statistical study on the local equilibrium between wind and wind waves by using data from ocean data buoy stations

The local equilibrium between the wind and wind waves, which is defined by a range of the coefficient of the 3/2-power law between the non-dimensional significant wave height and period, is statistically investigated by using wind and wave data obtained at four ocean data buoy stations in the seas near Japan. The friction velocity is calculated from the wind speed measured at one height together with the significant wave period by using formulas of the wave dependent drag coefficient proposed by Tobaet al. (1990). The data for small waves or for weak winds indicate that the waves do not satisfy the criterion for the local equilibrium, because they may be affected by changing winds or remotely generated swells. In the seas near Japan, the data which satisfy the local equilibrium are about 6% through a year. Otherwise swells are dominant in most situations. Changing winds also cause deviations from the local equilibrium. The degree of satisfaction of the local equilibrium can be classified by ranges of the significant wave height. As the significant wave height exceeds 4 m, the local equilibrium is more frequently satisfied.     

Retrieval of total ozone in the mesosphere with a new model of electronic-vibrational kinetics of O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and O<Subscript>2</Subscript> photolysis products

The paper presents a new model of electronic-vibrational kinetics of the products of ozone and molecular oxygen photodissociation in the terrestrial middle atmosphere. The model includes 45 excited states of the oxygen molecules O₂(b ¹, Σ _g ⁺ ,v= 0−2), O₂ (a ¹Δ _g , v= 0−5), and O₂(X ³Σ _g ⁻ , v= 1−35) and of the metastable atom O (¹ D) and over 100 aeronomic reactions. The model takes into account the dependence of quantum yields of the production of O₂(a ¹Δ _g , v= 0−5) in a singlet channel of ozone photolysis in the Hartley band on the wavelength of photolytic emission. Taking account of the electronic-vibrational kinetics is important in retrieval of the vertical profiles of ozone concentration from measured intensities of the Atm and IR Atm emissions of the oxygen bands above 65 km and leads to an increase in the ozone concentration retrieved from the 1.27-μm emission, in contrast to the previous model of pure electronic kinetics. Sensitivity analysis of the new model is made for variations in the concentrations of atmospheric constituents ([O₂], [N₂], [O(³P)], [O₃], [CO₂]), the gas temperature, rate constants of the reactions, and quantum yields of the reaction products. A group of reactions that most strongly affect the uncertainty of ozone retrieval from measured intensities of atmospheric emissions of molecular oxygen O₂(b ¹Σ _g ⁺ , v) and O₂(a ¹Δ _g , v) has been determined. Original Russian Text ? V.A. Yankovsky, V.A. Kuleshov, R.O. Manuilova, A.O. Semenov, 2007, published in Izvestiya AN. Fizika Atmosfery i Okeana, 2007, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 557–569.     

Intercomparison of shipboard and moored CARIOCA buoy seawater fCO2 measurements in the Sargasso Sea

The ocean is an important sink for carbon and heat, yet high-resolution measurements of biogeochemical properties relevant to global climate change are being made only sporadically in the ocean at present. There is a growing need for automated, real-time, long-term measurements of CO₂ in the ocean using a network of sensors, strategically placed on ships, moorings, free-drifting buoys and autonomous remotely operated vehicles. The ground-truthing of new sensor technologies is a vital component of present and future efforts to monitor changes in the ocean carbon cycle and air–sea exchange of CO₂.A comparison of a moored Carbon Interface Ocean Atmosphere (CARIOCA) buoy and shipboard fugacity of CO₂ (fCO₂) measurements was conducted in the western North Atlantic during two extended periods (>1 month) in 1997. The CARIOCA buoy was deployed on the Bermuda Testbed Mooring (BTM), which is located 5 km north of the site of the US Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS). The high frequency of sampling revealed that temperature and fCO₂ responded to physical forcing by the atmosphere on timescales from diurnal to 4–8 days. Concurrent with the deployments of the CARIOCA buoy, frequent measurements of surface fCO₂ were made from the R/V Weatherbird II during opportunistic visits to the BTM and BATS sites, providing a direct calibration of the CARIOCA buoy fCO₂ data. Although, the in situ ground-truthing of the CARIOCA buoy was complicated by diurnal processes, sub-mesoscale and fine-scale variability, the CARIOCA buoy fCO₂ data was accurate within 3±6 μatm of shipboard fCO₂ data for periods up to 50 days. Longer-term assessments were not possible due to the CARIOCA buoy breaking free of the BTM and drifting into waters with different fCO₂-temperature properties. Strategies are put forward for future calibration of other in situ sensors.     

Sensitivity studies with the three-dimensional multi-level model for tidal motion

A three-dimensional multi-level hydrodynamic model has recently been developed and applied to tidal motion in Singapore’s coastal waters. This paper describes a series of numerical experiments to evaluate the sensitivity of the tidal currents and elevations to model parameters. The results show that the predicted tidal elevations are insensitive to three model parameters: horizontal eddy viscosity coefficient (Smagorinsky constant, c_h), bottom friction coefficient (c_b) and internal friction coefficient (c_v), whereas the effects of these parameters are quite different for tidal current velocities. The velocities are slightly reduced with an increase in c_h and c_b. The bottom friction effects on velocity profiles increase with water depth. The effect of c_v might be significant for the tidal velocities at all levels. The velocities at upper layers of the water column decrease with the increase in c_v, whereas the velocities at the bottom layer show the reverse trend. The effects of three model parameters on the magnitude and phase of the simulated currents are in the order (from strong to weak) of c_v, c_b and c_h.     

Observation of temperature and velocity from a surface buoy moored in the Shikoku Basin (OMLET-88) —An oceanic response to a Typhoon

A surface buoy was moored from 20 April to 2 November 1988 at 28°48 N and 135°01 E where the water depth was 4900 m to measure temperature and velocity in the upper 150 m. The Typhoon 8824 passed at 0300 (JST) on 8 October about 50 km north to the mooring station with a maximum wind speed of 43.5 m s^–1. The buoy was shifted about 30 km to southwest, and the instruments were damaged. The records of temperature at 0.5 m and velocity at 50 m were obtained. The inertial oscillation caused by the typhoon is described using the current record. The oscillation endured for about 20 days. Deep mixing and vertical, heart transport by the typhoon are discussed based on the data from the Ocean Data Buoy of the Japan Meteorological Agency moored at 29°N and 135°E.     

Lagrangian measurements in the Kamchatka Current and Oyashio

From 1988 to 1993, 23 satellite-tracked drifting buoys entered the Kamchatka Current. The buoy trajectories showed a well-formed, high-speed current that originated near Shirshov Ridge, and flowed southward through Kamchatka Strait. During some years, the buoys turned eastward at 50°N, while in other years they were transported as far south as Japan (40°N). Only one buoy entered the Sea of Okhotsk. Eddies were evident in many of the buoy trajectories. Greatest maximum daily velocities (>100 cm s^–1) were observed south of Kamchatka Strait, with 50–60 cm s^–1 being more common.     

Sensitive study of the long and short surface wave-induced vertical mixing in a wave-circulation coupled model

The previous studies by the MASNUM research team have shown the effectiveness of the wave-induced mixing (Bv) in improving the simulation of upper-ocean thermal structure. The mechanisms of Bv are further investigated by incorporating different Bv products into the MASNUM wave-circulation coupled model. First, experiments were designed to explore the effects of Bv, which contain the contributions at different wave lengths (l). The results of three experiments, the non-Bv case, the short-wave case (l <300 m), and the long-wave case (l >300 m) are compared, and it is found that the long waves are the most important component for Bv to generate mixing in the upper ocean. As the swell plays dominant role in mixing, the parameterization of Bv into wind may be not a proper way. Second, Bv effects at different time-scales, including daily and monthly, were examined. The results show that the monthly averaged Bv has larger impact than the daily averaged Bv, especially in summer.     

Relations between Sea Surface Temperature and Air-Sea Heat Flux at Periods from 1 Day to 1 Year Observed at Ocean Buoy Stations around Japan

Relations between sea-surface temperature (T _s) and heat flux at the sea surface (F) have been investigated using data from ocean observation buoys located off Shikoku in the Sea of Japan and in the East China Sea. Wavelet transformation decomposed F and T _s to wavelet coefficients (WLC) in the period-time domain. Assuming one-dimensional heat transfer by eddy diffusion in the upper ocean, the phase difference (δθ) defined as the difference between the phase of the temporal change rate of T _s, and the phase of F ranges statistically from 0 to +π/4 when F changes T _s, and is around −π/2 when heat convergence in the sea (Av) forces T _s. The δθ values are distributed from 0 to +π/4 at one-day and one-year periods at all buoys. WLC amplitude (WLCA) of F at periods from 16 to 32 day periods, which may be caused by the atmospheric ridge-trough systems, maintains energy longer than WLCA at periods from 2 to 16 days, which may be caused by monsoonal surges. At periods from 2 to 64 days, δθ values distribute from 0 to +π/4 or around −π/2 at each event, reflecting the surroundings of each ocean, i.e., Kuroshio recirculation in the off-Shikoku area, water-temperature front in the Sea of Japan, and water exchange in the continental shelf edge in the East China Sea. We demonstrate that the wavelet analysis can characterize the correspondence between irregular signals of F and T _s in various time scales and locations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Additional flux arising from unresolved scales in eddying ocean models

An analysis is presented of snapshot data (eastward and northward velocity components: u and v; tracer such as potential temperature: τ) from an eddy-resolving (Rgrid: 1/12°) ocean model experiment, in order to explore a method for improving eddy-permitting model performance. Horizontal 3 × 3 R-grid averages give the eddy-permitting grid (P-grid: 1/4°) variables: 〈u〉, 〈v〉, and 〈τ〉, where 〈〉 denotes the spatial P-grid scale average. The difference between the horizontal tracer flux across the boundary face of a P-grid and that across the corresponding faces of R-grids is estimated as F_2E. It is found that the correlations among the gradients of u, v, and τ give a good approximation F_2C to the estimated flux F_2E. The approximated flux is a function of these gradients and the grid size. A method is presented for implementing the F_2C for density to an eddying ocean model as an additional advection. Practical experiments were conducted with a realistic configuration. It is shown that the zonal mean isotherms in the Kuroshio extension region are more flattened in the run using the proposed method than in another run using the conventional horizontal biharmonic operator, suggesting that the additional flux correction leads to an enhancement of sub-basin scale mixing.     

Observation of the bottom boundary layer on the continental shelf

Current meter data from various depths near the sea bottom collected for 31 days at time intervals of 10 minutes using a subsurface buoy system at a depth at 38 m on the continental shelf off Akita, Japan have been analyzed. The results show the existence of a stationary Ekman layer. The typical range of the characteristic parameters are estimated as follows; friction velocity: 0.38 cm s^–1; Ekman layer thickness: 16 m; logarithmic layer thickness: 4 m–6 m; constant flux layer thickness: 0.4–0.6 m; Ekman veering: 28.7°; drag coefficient: 0.24×10^–2–0.53×10^–2. Veering was also observed in the logarithmic layer.     

The wind-speed measurement capability of spaceborne radar altimeters

This study represents an attempt to quantitatively assess the capability of a spaceborne radar altimeter to infer ocean surface wind speeds from a measurement of the backscattered power at vertical incidence. The study uses data acquired during 184 near overflights of NOAA data buoys with the GEOS-3 satellite radar altimeter and encompasses a wind-speed range from less than 1 to 18 m/s. An algorithm is derived from the data comparison for converting measurements of the normalized scattering cross section of the ocean surface at 13.9 GHz into estimates of the surface wind speed at the standard anemometer height of 10 m. The algorithm is straightforward and potentially useful for on-board processing of raw altimeter data for the purpose of providing real-time estimates of surface wind speed. For winds in the range of 1 to 18 m/s, the mean difference between the altimeter-inferred winds and the buoy measurements is negligible while the standard deviation of the difference is 1.74 m/s.     

On the local equilibrium of winds and wind-waves in relation to surface drag

Local equilibrium of winds and wind-waves is discussed as a basis for research of the drag coefficient of the water surface as well as for the spectral growth of wind-waves. This hypothesis assumes, in a narrow sense, that statistical properties are determined from four physical quantities, which represent winds and wind-waves: the friction velocityu _*, the gravitational accelerationg, the powerE of the surface displacement, and the peak frequency _p of a wind-wave spectrum. Then one has only one nondimensionalcontrol parameter, which may be either the wave age or wave nonlinearity (slope) of dominant waves. In a wide-sense, one can take into account viscosity and surface tension in terms of one more additional parameter by virtue of the virtual invariance of those material constants; that parameter describes the scale ratio between dominant waves and the short waves for which viscosity or surface tension is important. A unified expression for the roughness height according to this hypothesis turns out to include Charnock's and Toba's formulas as special cases. On the basis of a preliminary analysis of the experimental data, a new empirical formula is proposed.