Interaction between the atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers

The two-layer system of an atmosphere over water bodies is reduced to a single-layer problem. Values of the interfacial quantities, such as the friction velocity, the surface velocity, the angles, α and β, between the surface shear stress and the geostrophic wind velocity and the surface wind velocity, respectively, and the surface roughness, all of which depend upon external parameters, such as the geostrophic wind and stratifications, are obtained. The geostrophic drag coefficient C_d, the geostrophic wind coefficient C_f, and the angles α, and β, of the turbulent flow at the sea-air interface are functions of a dimensionless number, mfG/kg, with S₁ and S₂ as two free stratification parameters. The surface roughness is uniquely determined from the geostrophic wind rather than from the wind profile in the boundary layer.