Momentum and heat fluxes via the eddy correlation method on the R/V <i>L'Atalante</i> and an ASIS buoy

Abstract

In this paper, we present the results obtained with the eddy correlation method applied to data acquired during the Flux, Etat de mer et Télédetection en Condition de Fetch variable experiment onboard the R/V L'Atalante . We discuss the corrections made to account for platform motion and for the effects of mean airflow distortion. The data are compared to those obtained from a moored Air‐Sea Interaction Spar (ASIS) buoy and from the L'Atalante using the inertial dissipation method (IDM). The main results from eddy correlation method on L'Atalante are that the momentum flux in‐line with the mean wind, −〈 u ′ w ′〉, is overestimated by 18%, likely due to turbulent flow distortion around the ship. In contrast, the results for heat flux do not appear to be contaminated by turbulent flow distortion. Indeed, heat fluxes obtained using the sonic temperature on the L'Atalante and the ASIS buoy are very similar. The eddy correlation latent heat fluxes obtained on the L'Atalante using a refractometer are significantly higher than those obtained from the same sensor using the IDM.