Global brightness temperature observations of TOPEX/Poseidon microwave radiometer (TMR) at 18, 21, and 37 GHz have been collocated with near-simultaneous SeaWinds wind vector data as well as with monthly sea surface temperature and salinity products. The combined data allow us to study the dependence of zenith-directed ocean surface emissivity, at each frequency, upon both wind speed and direct...

Comparative study of optimization methods for estimation sea surface temperature and ocean wind with microwave radiometer data is conducted. The well known mesh method (Grid Search Method: GSM), regressive method, and simulated annealing method are compared. Surface emissivity is estimated with the simulated annealing and compared to the well known Thomas T. Wilheit model based emissivity. On t...

Our purpose is to detect ocean surface features, specifically oceanic thermal fronts, through analysis of SAR (synthetic aperture radar)-derived wind stress fields. Fine-resolution measurements of near-surface wind speeds over the Gulf Stream region of the Northwest Atlantic were made using SAR images collected by RADARSAT-2. Linear statistical relationships between the wind stress curl and div...

[1] The influence of uncertainty in land surface temperature, air temperature, and wind speed on the estimation of sensible heat flux is analyzed using a Bayesian inference technique applied to the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) model. The Bayesian approach allows for an explicit quantification of the uncertainties in input variables: a source of error generally ignored in surface heat fl...

The interactions between the semi-annual oscillation (SAO), near-surface wind speed and cloudiness at seven Antarctic stations are described, as is how near-surface temperature is affected. A firmly established half-yearly wave, in both the mean annual cycle of wind speed and of cloudiness, was found at two stations with limited local disturbances: Halley and Faraday. Following a significant we...

Satellite multi-sensor data is used to derive sensible heat flux (SHF), Bowen ratio (Bo), and thus latent heat flux (LHF) in the tropical Pacific. The temperature differences at the air–sea interface are determined empirically for regions where strong deep air convection is present due to the buoyancy force. The vertical airflow results in surface wind divergence, which is estimated from scatte...

Effects of the number of fins, fin pitch and wind velocity on air-cooling were investigated using experimental cylinders for an air-cooled engine of a motorcycle. Experimental cylinders that had a various number of fins and fin pitches were tested in a wind tunnel. Then the temperature inside of the cylinder, on the surface of the fins and in the space between the fins was measured. Results ind...

A series of observing system simulation experiments has been performed to assess the potential impact of marine surface wind data on numerical weather prediction. Care was taken to duplicate the spatial coverage and error characteristics of conventional surface, radiosonde, ship, and aircraft reports. These observations, suitably degraded to account for instrument and sampling errors, were used...

Previous studies indicated that surface wind speed over China declined during past decades, and several explanations exist in the literature. This study presents long-term (1960–2009) changes of both surface and upper-air wind speeds over China and addresses observed evidence to interpret these changes. It is found that surface wind over China underwent a three-phase change over the past 50 yr:...