A Note on the Phillips Spectral Framework for Ocean Whitecaps

作     者：Banner, Michael L. Zappa, Christopher J. Gemmrich, Johannes R. 

作者机构：Univ New S Wales Sch Math & Stat Sydney NSW Australia Columbia Univ Lamont Doherty Earth Observ Ocean & Climate Phys Div Palisades NY 10964 USA Univ Victoria Victoria BC Canada 

出 版 物：《JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY》 (物理海洋学杂志)

年 卷 期：2014年第44卷第7期

页      面：1727-1734页

核心收录：

学科分类：07[理学] 0707[理学-海洋科学] 

基　　金：Office of Naval Research under the Radiance Dynamics of the Ocean (RaDyO) DRI [N00014-06-1-0047  N00014-11-1-0054  N00014-06-1-0372  N00014-11-1-0168  N00014-11-1-0015] 

主　　题：Circulation/ Dynamics Turbulence Wave breaking Wind waves Physical Meteorology and Climatology Air-sea interaction Observational techniques and algorithms Remote sensing 

摘      要：There has been a recent upsurge in interest in quantifying kinematic, dynamic, and energetic properties of wave breaking in the open ocean, especially in severe sea states. The underpinning observational and modeling framework is provided by the seminal paper of O. M. Phillips. In this note, a fundamental issue contributing to the scatter in results between investigators is highlighted. This issue relates to the choice of the independent variable used in the expression for the spectral density of the mean breaking crest length per unit area. This note investigates the consequences of the different choices of independent variable presently used by various investigators for validating Phillips model predictions for the spectral density of the breaking crest length per unit area and the associated spectral breaking strength coefficient. These spectral measures have a central role in inferring the associated turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate and the momentum flux to the upper ocean from breaking wave observations.