14 Sep 2026
| 14 Sep 2026
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics (NPG).
The drag-law for turbulent air-sea interaction is locally linear
Abstract. The momentum transfer between the atmosphere and the ocean is typically parameterized using a quadratic drag law. However, analytical calculations reveal that such a drag law leads to a vorticity blow-up. Results from dedicated numerical simulations demonstrate that, at horizontal scales several times the boundary layer thickness, the drag parameterization is locally linear.
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