Ocean Science www.ocean-sci.net 1812-0784 1812-0792 4 4 2008 10.5194/os-4-247-2008 http://www.ocean-sci.net/4/247/2008/ http://www.ocean-sci.net/4/247/2008/os-4-247-2008.html http://www.ocean-sci.net/4/247/2008/os-4-247-2008.pdf 247 263 2008-12-10 Sensors for physical fluxes at the sea surface: energy, heat, water, salt R. A. Weller rweller@whoi.edu E. F. Bradley J. B. Edson C. W. Fairall I. Brooks M. J. Yelland R. W. Pascal Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts, USA CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) Land and Water, Canberra, Australia University of Connecticut, Connecticut, USA NOAA ESRL (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Earth System Research Laboratory), Boulder, Colorado, USA University of Leeds, Leeds, UK National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK The current status of meteorological sensors used aboard ships and buoys to measure the air-sea fluxes of momentum, heat, and freshwater is reviewed. Methods of flux measurement by the bulk aerodynamic, inertial dissipation and eddy-correlation methods are considered; and areas are identified where improvements are needed in measurement of the basic variables. In some cases, what is required is the transition from emergent to operational technology, in others new technologies are needed. Uncertainties in measured winds caused by flow distortion over the ship are discussed; and the possible role of computational fluid mechanics models to obtain corrections is considered. Basic studies are also needed on the influence of waves and rain on the fluxes. The issues involved in the specification of sea surface temperature are described, and the relative merits of the available sensors are discussed. The improved capability of buoy-mounted systems will depend on the emergence of low-power instruments, and/or new means of increasing the available power capacity. 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