Wind tunnel velocity profiles generated by differentially-spaced flat plates

The paper presents the wind shear stress on the sea surface as well as the velocity profile in stably stratified atmospheric boundary layer flow over wind waves by using similarity theory. For a given geostrophic velocity, Coriolis parameter, spectral peak period and stratification parameter, the sea surface shear stress is determined. Further, the direction of the sea surface shear stress and the velocity profile are given. Parameterizations of the results are also presented. Finally, the engineering relevance of the results is discussed, and, if the wind velocity at the 10 m elevation is available, a simplified method of calculating the sea surface shear stress is given. CO 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.