Laboratory Modeling of the Atmosphere–Ocean Interaction Under a Stormwind (High-Speed Wind-Wave Channel of the Large Thermostatified Tank of the Institute of Applied Physics)

We describe the results of studying the small-scale processes in the boundary layer of the atmosphere, including their contribution to the momentum exchange under the storm conditions. The main research method is laboratory modeling performed in the High-Speed Wind-Wave Channel of the Large Thermostratified Tank of the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia). A detailed description of this unique facility and the measurement methods is presented. The dependence of the aerodynamic drag coefficient on the parameters of waves and the foam coverage is studied. A theoretical model is proposed for the description of this dependence. The results of generation of the splashes, which are ripped off from breaking waves by a strong wind, are also presented. Direct-shadow visualization methods in combination with high-speed filming made it possible to classify the fragmentation mechanisms, identify the dominant one, and construct the spray generation function. The issues related to the transfer of the obtained results to the natural conditions on the basis of whitecap method are discussed in the conclusion section.