The Influence of wave state and sea spray on drag coefficient from low to high wind speeds

Abstract

Ocean waves alter the roughness of sea surface, and sea spray droplets redistribute the momentum flux at the air-sea interface. Hence, both wave state and sea spray influence sea surface drag coefficient. Based on the new sea spray generation function which depends on sea surface wave, a wave-dependent sea spray stress is obtained. According to the relationship between sea spray stress and the total wind stress on the sea surface, a new formula of drag coefficient at high wind speed is acquired. With the analysis of the new drag coefficient, it is shown that the drag coefficient reduces at high wind speed, indicating that the sea spray droplets can limit the increase of drag coefficient. However, the value of high wind speed corresponding to the initial reduced drag coefficient is not fixed, and it depends on the wave state, which means the influence of wave cannot be ignored. Comparisons between the theoretical and measured sea surface drag coefficients in field and laboratory show that under different wave ages, the theoretical result of drag coefficient could include the measured data, and it means that the new drag coefficient can be used properly from low to high wind speeds under any wave state condition.