Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations
Abstract Accurate prediction of air‐sea fluxes hinges on a deep understanding of wind‐wave interactions, yet feedback mechanisms involving surface waves and wind are not fully understood. This paper investigates the effect of two‐way coupling between wind and waves on wind turbulence through direct...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL117290 |
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| author | Jinlong Zhang Weijian Liu Yuhong Dong |
| author_facet | Jinlong Zhang Weijian Liu Yuhong Dong |
| author_sort | Jinlong Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Accurate prediction of air‐sea fluxes hinges on a deep understanding of wind‐wave interactions, yet feedback mechanisms involving surface waves and wind are not fully understood. This paper investigates the effect of two‐way coupling between wind and waves on wind turbulence through direct numerical simulation of air‐water two‐phase flows, with simulations of non‐coupling cases for wind sea and swell. Compared to the uncoupled model, the dissipation of surface waves absorbs momentum from the wind for a wind sea, reducing turbulence intensity, which decreases momentum and heat transfer coefficients (CD and CH). In a swell scenario, a wave‐driven wind jet produces strong shear and changes interfacial dynamics under coupled conditions, enhancing turbulence intensity within the wave boundary layer. Air‐water interaction fosters a positive feedback loop between wind and swells, leading to a consequent increase in CD and CH. Parameterizations of CD and CH need to account for the wind‐wave coupling. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0af3d6341efc48b089eab3e4bd656be5 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-0af3d6341efc48b089eab3e4bd656be52025-07-29T05:44:51ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-07-015214n/an/a10.1029/2025GL117290Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical SimulationsJinlong Zhang0Weijian Liu1Yuhong Dong2Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering Shanghai Frontier Science Center of Mechanoinformatics Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics School of Mechanics and Engineering Science Shanghai University Shanghai ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering Shanghai Frontier Science Center of Mechanoinformatics Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics School of Mechanics and Engineering Science Shanghai University Shanghai ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering Shanghai Frontier Science Center of Mechanoinformatics Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics School of Mechanics and Engineering Science Shanghai University Shanghai ChinaAbstract Accurate prediction of air‐sea fluxes hinges on a deep understanding of wind‐wave interactions, yet feedback mechanisms involving surface waves and wind are not fully understood. This paper investigates the effect of two‐way coupling between wind and waves on wind turbulence through direct numerical simulation of air‐water two‐phase flows, with simulations of non‐coupling cases for wind sea and swell. Compared to the uncoupled model, the dissipation of surface waves absorbs momentum from the wind for a wind sea, reducing turbulence intensity, which decreases momentum and heat transfer coefficients (CD and CH). In a swell scenario, a wave‐driven wind jet produces strong shear and changes interfacial dynamics under coupled conditions, enhancing turbulence intensity within the wave boundary layer. Air‐water interaction fosters a positive feedback loop between wind and swells, leading to a consequent increase in CD and CH. Parameterizations of CD and CH need to account for the wind‐wave coupling.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL117290wind‐wave couplingwind seaswellswind turbulencedirect numerical simulation |
| spellingShingle | Jinlong Zhang Weijian Liu Yuhong Dong Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations Geophysical Research Letters wind‐wave coupling wind sea swells wind turbulence direct numerical simulation |
| title | Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations |
| title_full | Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations |
| title_short | Impact of Wind‐Wave Coupling on Turbulence and Air‐Sea Fluxes: Insights From Direct Numerical Simulations |
| title_sort | impact of wind wave coupling on turbulence and air sea fluxes insights from direct numerical simulations |
| topic | wind‐wave coupling wind sea swells wind turbulence direct numerical simulation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL117290 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jinlongzhang impactofwindwavecouplingonturbulenceandairseafluxesinsightsfromdirectnumericalsimulations AT weijianliu impactofwindwavecouplingonturbulenceandairseafluxesinsightsfromdirectnumericalsimulations AT yuhongdong impactofwindwavecouplingonturbulenceandairseafluxesinsightsfromdirectnumericalsimulations |