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The feasibility of estimating large-scale surface wind fields for the summer MONEX using cloud motion and ship data

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Abstract

Cloud motion data were compared to ship observations over the Indian Ocean during the summer monsoon, 1 May to 31 July 1979, with the objective of using the cloud data for estimating surface wind and ultimately the wind stress on the ocean. The cloud-ship comparison indicated that the cloud motions could be used to estimate surface winds within reasonable accuracy bounds, 2.6 m s-1 r.m.s. speeds and 22° to 44° r.m.s. directions (22° r.m.s. for winds < 10 m s-1). A body of statistics is presented which can be used to construct an empirical boundary layer with the eventual goal of producing a stress analysis for the summer MONEX from cloud motion data.

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Wylie, D.P., Hinton, B.B. The feasibility of estimating large-scale surface wind fields for the summer MONEX using cloud motion and ship data. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 21, 357–367 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119279

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119279

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