Parameters adjusted to the height specified in z_wanted. Adjustment assumes the modified log-profile is valid at both the observation (ref_ht_wind) and the wanted height (z_wanted).

Input Parameters:

List of input parameters. Argument numbers begin at 1.

ParameterTypeDescription UnitsArgument Number
astabintAtmospheric stability option none18
CONVECTfloatConvective parameter. Recommended value between 0.7 and 1.25. For details see TOGA NOTES #4 none4
CONV_CRITfloatConvergence criterion fraction5
air_moist_prmintAtmospheric moisture parameter index none7
air_moist_valfloatValue of the parameter corresponding to the above index see below8
dyn_in_prmintDynamic input parameter index none1
dyn_in_valfloatDynamic input value. Usually the mean wind speed at the height (zref) of the anemometer. Other input options are friction velocity (magnitude), wind stress (magnitude), and equivalent neutral wind speed (scatterometer wind speed). see below2
eqv_neutintoption for type of output winds none32
pressurefloatAtmospheric surface pressure Pa6
ref_ht_windfloatHeight of the wind observations m16
ref_ht_tqfloatHeight of the temperature observations. Note: in the current version of the code this must equal to height of the humidity observations. m17
rel_wind_angfloat Angle of the mean wind relative to the direction that the dominant waves propagate. The positive direction is counter-clockwise when looking down on the surface. degrees3
salinityfloatSalinity none11
sfc_moist_prmintSurface moisture parameter index none9
sfc_moist_valfloatValue of the parameter corresponding to the above index see below10
ss_prmintSeastate parameter index none12
ss_valfloatValue of the parameter corresponding to the above index see below13
t_airfloatAir temperature at the reference height of the thermometer and humidity sensor C14
t_skinfloatSkin temperature of the water. C15
warnintWarning level: 0 warnings, 1 no warnings. none19
z_wantedfloatheight to which the values are adjusted m33

Options for type of wind output (eqv_neut)

Equivalent neutral wind speed (perhaps better called 'equivalent only when neutral') are used in applications such as scatterometry. The winds are height adjusted, with friction velocity (and momentum roughness length) determined form non-neutral conditions. However, winds are height adjusted with the atmospheric stability term set to zero. Consequently, friction velocity and roughness length are determined using the atmospheric stability parameterization, but the hight adjustment is made for a neutral atmosphere. If this option is set to '0', then it has no impact on the height adjustment. If this option is set to '1', the potential temperature and specific humidity as well as the winds are output as equivalent neutral values. WARNING: equivalent neutral winds are not equivalent to neutral winds [Liu and Tang, 1996; Vershell et al., 1998].

eqv_neutDescription Units
0winds none
1equivalent neutral winds none

Options for dynamic input:

Typically wind speed is used as an input to boundary-layer models. However, scatterometers are now producing 'observations' of friction velocity and equivelent neutral wind speed.

dyn_inDescription Units
0Wind speed, relative to surface current m/s
1Friction velocity (magnitude) m/s
2Surface wind stress (magnitude) N/m^2
3Equivalent neutral wind speed (relative to the surface current) m/s

Options for atmospheric stability condition:

The atmospheric stability in the boundary-layer can be assumed to neutral, or it can be calculated input parameters.

astabDescription Units
0Atmospheric stability is assumed to be neutral none
1Stability is calculated none

Options for seastate parameterizations:

There are six possible seastate assumptions: any one of the following can be treated as known: wind-wave stability parameter (set to 1.0 for local equilibrium), phase speed, or wave age, significant wave height, significant slope, or period of the dominant waves. Caution: in many cases, these wave characteristics will correspond to swell rather than the phase speed of locally wind induced waves.

ss_prmParameter treated as known (ss_val) Units
0Wind-wave stability parameter none
1Phase speed of the dominant waves. Note: in many cases, this phase speed will correspond to the swell rather than the phase speed of locally wind induced waves. Use of the wrong phase speed can lead to large overestimations of fluxes. m/s
2Wave age the dominant waves (cp/u*) none
3Significant wave height (Hs) m
4Significant slope (Hs/l) none
5Period of the dominant waves (Tp) s

Options for atmospheric moisture input:

Choose the moisture parameter that is easiest for you to deal with:

air_moist_prmParameter for moisture of air (air_moist_val) Units
0Specific humidity at the reference height of the thermometer and humidity sensor g vapor / g air
1Relative humidity fraction
2Dew point temperature C
3Wet bulb temperature C

Options for surface moisture input:

Choose the moisture parameter that is easiest for you to deal with:

sfc_moist_prmParameter for moisture of air (sfc_moist_val) Units
0Specific humidity 'at' (near) the surface g vapor / g air
1Relative humidity fraction
2Dew point temperature C
3Wet bulb temperature C


Model Output:

Vector components are calculated parallel and perpendicular to the direction in which the dominant waves are propagating. The first component is parallel the direction of wave propagation, and the second component is perpendicular to the first (while looking down it is 90 counter-clockwise from the first component; i.e., in a right handed coordinate system with the positive vertical axis pointing upward). For most applications there will be insufficient wave information, requiring the assumption of local wind-wave equilibrium. This assumption implies that the wind and the waves are moving in the same direction; which results in the first component of the vectors being parallel to the wind direction, and the second component being zero.

All output is single precision floating point.

The routine returns a integer value (i.e., a warning flag). Positive values indicate a lack of specific problems. If there are problems with missing input, non-convergence within the algorithm, or if the modeled physics obviously fails to apply, then the output is set to -1. For example, if the thickness of the boundary layer is too small (i.e., the absolute value of the Obhukov scale length less than or equal to 1 m) then the warning flag is set at -1.

ParameterTypeDescription UnitsArgument Number
shffloatsensible heat flux W m-220
lhffloatlatent heat flux W m-221
tauvector floatstress vector. There are more details on the conversion to zonal and meridional components. N m-222
u_starvector floatfriction velocity (u*) m s-123
t_starfloatscaling term for potential temperature (T*) C24
q_starfloatscaling parameter for moisture (q*) none25
z_over_Lfloatdimensionless Monin-Obhukov scale length none26
wave_agefloatwave age, cp/u* none27
dom_phs_spdfloatdominant phase speed of gravity waves m s-128
h_sigfloatsignificant wave height m29
ww_stabfloatwind-wave evolution parameter none30
zo_mvector floatmomentum roughness length m31
u_at_zfloatwind speed at the specified height m s-133
t_at_zfloatpotential temperature at the specified height oC34
q_at_zfloatspecific humidity at the specified height kg kg-135

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Last update: July. 28, 1998