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Coupling an ocean wave model with a global aerosol transport model: A sea salt aerosol parameterization perspective
Author(s) -
Witek Marcin L.,
Flatau Piotr J.,
Teixeira João,
Westphal Douglas L.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2007gl030106
Subject(s) - aerosol , swell , sea salt , wind wave , meteorology , significant wave height , wind speed , environmental science , wave model , atmospheric sciences , sea state , physics , geology , remote sensing , oceanography
A new approach to sea salt parameterization is proposed which incorporates wind‐wave characteristics into the sea salt emission function and can be employed globally and under swell‐influenced conditions. The new source function was applied into Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System model together with predictions from the global wave model Wave Watch III. The squared surface wind velocity U 10 and the wave's orbital velocity V orb= πH s / T P are shown to be the key parameters in the proposed parameterization. Results of the model simulations are validated against multi‐campaign shipboard measurements of the sea salt aerosol. The validations indicate a good correlation between V orb and the measured surface concentrations. The model simulations with the new parameterization exhibit an improved agreement with the observations when compared to a wind‐speed‐only approach. The proposed emission parameterization has the potential to improve the simulations of sea salt emission in aerosol transport models.