Drag and bulk transfer coefficients associated with a shallow water surface

During September, 1971, measurements of Reynolds stress and sensible heat flux were made over a shallow coral reef off the coast of Papua. The water varied (with the tide) from 0 to 2.5 m in depth. Two independent measurements of the momentum flux confirmed that the surface deviated only slightly from aerodynamically smooth. The independent determinations of the sensible heat flux are consistent with this result, indicating a much lower Stanton number than would be expected over deeper water (viz., 1.1 × 10^–3 rather than about 1.5 × 10^–3).The near smoothness of the surface appears to be associated with either the attenuation of small surface waves resulting from the presence of a surface film or their inability to grow in the absence of longer wave components. Although it is not clear which of these effects was predominant, the data show that great care should be taken in extrapolating shallow water results to open ocean conditions, particularly when it is conceded that surface films may exist in either situation.Now with Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, U.S.A.Now with CSIRO Division of Mineral Physics, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.