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Research on interconnections among Gulf of America ecosystems.
Outreach for decisions based on those interconnections.
All Projects

Climate Variability in Ocean Surface Turbulent Fluxes

Climate Effects on Regional Ecosystems, Coastal Hazards

Climate Variability in Ocean Surface Turbulent Fluxes Climate Variability in Ocean Surface Turbulent Fluxes PI: Mark Bourassa, Florida State University
Co-PI: Shawn Smith, Florida State University
Funding: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
Partners/Collaborators: Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML)/ Physical Oceanography Division (PhOD) and Hurricane Research Division, Naval Research Laboratory
Sponsor Number: NA21OAR4320190
MSU Award Number: 191001.361472.01C
NGI File Number: 24-NGI4-89
Performance Period: Oct 01, 2021 - Sep 30, 2025

Project Goals/Objectives:
This project will 1) produce gridded wind products for the Pacific Ocean, 2) Understand processes are variability related to surface turbulent fluxes, and 3) Train the next generation of scientists.

Project Accomplishments/Outcomes:
During the 7/1/2024 to 6/30/2025 reporting period:

Accomplishments: 1) the gridded wind product was produced and shared in a timely fashion; 2) We confirmed refining our surfaces stress in a hurricane; 3) Several graduate students have been trained.

Outcomes: Surface wind fields are produced for ENSO forecasts among other uses. Students are trained in the use of NOAA data (related to surface fluxes) and coupled modeling with innovation focused on surface fluxes. Two peer-reviewed papers were published and three students graduated. We collaboratively demonstrated that accounting for sea spray related modifications of surface fluxes greatly improved modeling of rapid changes in tropical cyclone intensity.

Project Impacts:
Development of principal discipline: The FSU Winds are used for ENSO forecasts, impacting a great number of people. Observational estimates of hurricane fluxes will spark great interest. Modeling showing the impact of sea spray on these fluxes partially explains the physical process, and coupled modeling shows large improvements in modeling rapid changes in tropical cyclone intensity.

Development of other disciplines: The impact on understanding the smaller end of mesoscale air-sea coupling will impact oceanography and meteorology, including applications related to biology, biogeochemistry, pollution transport (in the air and sea) and eventually weather and climate forecasts. The improved modeling of tropical cyclone intensity changes should impact fields related to storm impacts and responses.

Development of human resources: A large number of students are trained to work with NOAA data. These students are about 75% female. That percentage holds for undergrads through Ph.D students. One student that was worked with via this project now works for NOAA.

Teaching and educational experiences: This year involved advisement of one undergraduate and 4 graduate students. One of FSU's instrumentation labs was revised to use examples from NOAA surface observations (~15 students per semester). Several of the studies are highly motivational for graduate students.

Physical, institutional, and information resources that form infrastructure: We are hoping to influence improvements to dropsondes, attempting to make them more useful for estimating boundary-layer fluxes. Modeling efforts suggestion future work that could be done to assess the value of surface wind convergence to forecast or monitor tropical cyclone intensity changes.

Technology transfer: We hope to transfer, to hurricane modelers, the modeling changes related to sea spray.

Society: The science and applications are extremely motivational for graduate students. The improvements to modeling rapid changes in tropical cyclone intensity, if successfully transferred, should have wide and positive impacts related to hurricane response and management.

Other Project Information:
Sponsor Number: NA16OAR4320199
Principal Investigator: Mark Bourassa
Performance Period: 10/1/2016 - 5/31/2022
MSU Award Number: 191001-363513-1C
NGI File Number: 20-NGI3-106

Project Publications:

Peer-Reviewed Journals
Seo, H., O’Neill, L. W., Bourassa, M. A., Czaja, A., Drushka, K., Edson, J. B., Fox-Kemper, B., Frenger, I., Gille, S. T., Kirtman, B. P., & Minobe, S. (2023). Ocean Mesoscale and Frontal-Scale Ocean–Atmosphere Interactions and Influence on Large-Scale Climate: A Review. Journal of Climate. 36, 1981–2013. DOI:10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0982.1. [Document Site]
Chand, C. P., Ali, M. M., Himasri, B., Bourassa, M. A., & Zheng, Y. (2023). Predicting Indian Ocean Cyclone Parameters Using an Artificial Intelligence Technique. Atmosphere. DOI:10.3390/atmos13071157. [Document Site]
Roman-Stork, H., & Bourassa, M. A. (2022). Analysis of the 10-20-day Intraseasonal Oscillation in the Indian Ocean Using Surface Winds. Remote Sensing. 14, 3419. DOI:10.3390/rs14143419. [Document Site]
May, J. C., & Bourassa, M. A. (2023). Atmospheric Dynamic Response to Coupling Currents to Wind Stress over the Gulf Stream. Atmosphere. 14. DOI:10.3390/atmos14081216. [Document Site]
Yang, S., Bae, H., Nam, C., Bourassa, M., Cocke, S., Shin, D. W., Barr, B., Seo, H., Cha, D., Kwon, M., & Kim, B. (2025). Sea Spray Effects on Typhoon Prediction in the Yellow and East China Seas: Case Studies Using a Coupled Atmosphere-ocean-wave Model for Lingling (2019) and Maysak (2020). Environmental Research Letters. 20, 054028. DOI:10.1088/1748-93. [Document Site]
Professional Presentations
May, J., & Bourassa, M. (2022). Impact of Horizontal Model Resolution and Kinematic Coupling between Currents and Wind Stress on Submesoscale Vertical Heat Transport in a Coupled Model. 2022 FilaChange Workshop.
Holbach, H., & Bourassa, M. (2023). Strengths and Weaknesses of Calibrating Remotely Sensed Winds with Buoys and Dropsondes &Amp; Current Status of the SFMR Algorithm Update: High Wind/high Rain Errors. MAXSS Workshop.
Wallace, B. M. D., & Holbach, H. (2023). Log-Profile Analysis of the Near-Surface Layer and Air-Sea Turbulent Fluxes in Hurricanes Using Dropsondes. NOAA 25th AVAPS Users Group Meeting.
Chang, P., Holbach, H., Portabella, M., & Bourassa, M. (2023). Towards Consensus on Extreme Winds. 2023 International Ocean Vector Winds Science Team Meeting. [Document Site]
Book Chapter
Perez, R. C., Foltz, G. R., Lumpkin, R., Wei, J., Voss, K., Ondrusek, M., Wang, M., & Bourassa, M. A. (2023). Oceanographic Buoys: Providing Ocean Data to Assess the Accuracy of Variables Derived from Satellite Measurements. Elsevier. DOI:10.1016/B978-0-12-823953-7.00022-8. [Document Site]