Atmosphere and ocean
Heat, gases (e.g. water vapour and carbon dioxide) and energy are transferred across the sea surface. A major factor that controls the transfer process across the sea surface is the presence of ocean waves. The wavelength and height of the waves and whether or not they are breaking (seen as white caps) plays an important role in the transfer process. Ocean currents are created in response to the transfer of energy (the wind blowing over the sea surface), heat and moisture (evaporation or precipitation) across the sea surface. Accurately representing these transfer processes across a sea surface with waves has yet to be achieved and scientists at NOC are working to address these problems.
Air sea interaction
The atmosphere and the ocean are closely linked by the transfer of heat, gases and energy from one to the other. For example, energy from the wind blowing over the surface of the ocean produces waves and currents. Similarly, the ocean surface absorbs most of the heat from the sun and the surface currents move this warm water around the world and warm the atmosphere from below. In addition, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) are transferred between atmosphere and ocean, with the ocean absorbing CO2 on average.
