Ocean Sciences

Wind Stress Curl is the measure of the rotation of the wind stress (or ocean surface circulation). The curl of wind stress is helpful in identifying areas of cyclogenesis and their propagation. OSCAT 2-days Wind Stress Curl Composites have been generated by computing the curl of wind stress field, which is estimated using DIVA generated wind field composites. These products are available on daily basis from 2010 to 2013. Further details have been provided in the technical document. 

Wind stress is defined as the tangential (drag) force per unit area exerted on the surface of the ocean by the adjacent layer of moving air. Wind stress is the most important forcing parameter in the upper ocean circulation. OSCAT Daily Wind Stress Composites have been generated using DIVA generated 2-days wind field composites. For wind stress computation, Large and Pond (1981) drag coefficients, modified by Trenberth et al. 1990, are used. These products are available on daily basis from 2010-2013. The output products consist of zonal and meridional wind stress components.

The pressure charts prepared by interpolatingpoint measurements/generated through Numerical Weather Forecast (NWF) models or data assimilation techniques. But these data sets may not provide true field situation. As of today, no remote sensing sensor is capable to measure the pressure fields directly. In the present technical report we presented the methodology of retrieve pressure fields from Quick-Scat/Oceansat-2 Scatterometer (OSCAT) winds using the University of Washington Planetary Boundary Layer (UWPBL) model of Patoux et al (2003) during some selected period. These pressure values are validated with all the available in situ observations.