Wind-wave stabilization by a foam layer between the atmosphere and the ocean
Abstract
The study is motivated by recent findings of the decrease in the momentum transfer from strong winds to sea. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) of a three-fluid system of air, foam and water is examined within the range of intermediately short surface waves. The foam layer thickness necessary for effective separation of the atmosphere and the ocean is estimated. Due to high density contrasts in the three-fluid system, even a relatively thin foam layer between the atmosphere and the ocean can provide a significant stabilization of the water surface by the wavelength shift of the instability towards smaller scales. It is conjectured that such stabilization qualitatively explains the observed reduction of roughness and drag.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0909.1354,
title = {Wind-wave stabilization by a foam layer between the atmosphere and the ocean},
author = {Yuri M. Shtemler and Ephim Golbraikh and Michael Mond},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0909.1354},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
The second paragraph in Section 4 'Summary, discussion and conclusions' is edited and transferred from page 14 of version 3 to page 17 of version 4