On the momentum and energy exchanges in wind-wave interfacial flow

Nowadays, there is a particular interest in the problem of understanding the interaction phenomena between atmospheric wind and ocean waves. This is due to the fact that a better knowledge of these interactions might enhance our estimates of the momentum and energy exchanges at the air-sea interface. A full understanding of this mechanism might improve actual models for wave and atmosphere prediction, climate forecast and loads estimation on marine structures such as ships and offshore platforms. In this study different numerical simulations have been taken into account. In order to have a first insight of the momentum and heat transfers across the air, Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of a fully developed turbulent open channel with passive heat transfer is performed. Then momentum and passive heat transfers across sheared wind-driven gas–liquid interface have been investigated by means of DNSs of two-phase flows. The detailed analysis of the mean profiles, the kinetic and temperature budget equations and the two-points statistics allows to understand how the dynamic of a turbulent boundary layer is affected by ocean waves. At the mean time, it is possible to study how the structure of the ocean waves are influenced by the state of the turbulent boundary layer creating them.