Aiv-Sea Interactions j Program at IMST 



II. THEORETICAL STUDIES 



1. The Physical Mechanisms of the Ocean- Atmosphere Interaction 



As it is well known, the small-scale transfer of energy be- 

 tween atmosphere and oceans occurs following four various mecha- 

 nisms , sketched by Fig. 1: 



a) Radiation, including: i) short-wave radiation from the sun on the 

 sea surface, which is partially reflected and absorbed over a 

 more or less large depth under the interface; il) long-wave radi- 

 ation coming from the atmosphere and from the sea, and involv- 

 ing a radiative transfer process between the interface Itself and 

 the atmospheric layers (see II. 3). 



b) Evaporation (or condensation) , and turbulent convection of water 

 vapor, which, due to the very high latent heat of vaporization of 

 water, leads to a turbulent latent enthalpy transfer from the sea 

 surface to the atmosphere. 



c) Turbulent convection of sensible enthalpy, resulting from tem- 

 perature differences between adjoining points of the system. 



RADIATION 

 Shorf wave Long wave 



TURBULENT ENTHALPY 

 TRANSFER 



Litenl 



KINETIC ENERGY 

 TRANSFER 



zi 



RESULTING ENERGY 

 TRANSFER- S+L+0=S'+o' 



Gaseous phase 



Interface 

 Liquid phase 



Fig. 1. Schematic display of energy transfers in the vicinity of the 

 ocean-atmosphere interface. 



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