Mean surface energy fluxes over the global ocean

Abstract

A newly available consolidated data set from the U.S. Navy's Fleet Numerical Weather Central in Monterey, California, is utilized to investigate global energy fluxes at the sea‐air interface. Sea surface temperature data from January 1949 to December 1979 were extracted from the data set along with air temperature, sea level pressure, dew point temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and cloud cover. Five degree latitude by five degree longitude spatial averaging and monthly temporal averaging were applied to the parameters in the data set for the purpose of studying long‐term large‐scale fluctuations. The heat balance of the global ocean surface layer is calculated using bulk flux formulations. Maps of the long‐term monthly and annual means of the net surface energy flux together with the four components of the total flux (latent heat flux, sensible heat flux, incoming radiation, and outgoing radiation) for the global oceans are presented. Incoming solar radiation and latent heat flux are the two dominant components that control net surface energy fluxes. Wind speed, cloud cover, and the gradient of specific humidity are the three most important meteorological parameters in determining surface flux. Errors associated with the bulk formula calculations and the significant features of the energy balance at the ocean surface are discussed.