Instructions

Wind Stress

Part A of this exercise on ocean waves and winds focuses on assessment of global maps that illustrate the strength, speed and direction of wind stress, and animations that show the annual cycle of spatial changes in their characteristics. The data examined are maps and animations of “Surface wind stress vector” accessed from a website maintained by the NOAA National Weather Service (Monthly Climatology (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.). The procedure that generates the map for the first question requires the following actions:

• For the first question, on the webpage for Monthly Climatology select the variable “Surface wind stress vector” in the listing of Global X-Y Plots section, set the Month to the last option entitled “Ann” and choose the Submit button.
• A global map of wind stress will be generated where the colors represent the wind force (in dyne/cm2) acting on the ocean surface and the arrows show the direction of wind motion. (A copy of the map is reproduced below.)

Monthly Climatology Animations
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.). The maps of “Surface wind stress vector” as month-by month animation (rather than the map of the annual average examined above) can be viewed by following the following procedure:

• On the webpage for Monthly Climatology/Animations select the variable “Surface wind stress vector” in the Global X-Y Plots section and choose the Submit button.
• A global map of wind stress will be generated where the colors represent the wind force (in dyne/cm2) acting on the ocean surface and the arrows show the direction of wind motion on a month-by-month animation.

Question 1: Examine the global map of annual wind stress vectors and identify and describe the principal ocean regions where wind stress is high and those regions where it is low. In addition, compare the directions of wind stress represented by arrows in the map and the global patterns of prevailing winds (see below) discussed in the module on atmospheric circulation.

A strong answer will describe specific regions where wind stress high or low providing details of the location, including ranges of latitude & longitude, and specifying values for high and low wind stress with units. The relationship to prevailing winds, as illustrated by the image from the class materials, will make cite specific examples to illustrate parallels between wind stress directions and major wind belts.

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Question 2: In the month-by-month animation of surface wind stress identify specific ocean regions (described in terms of ocean basin, giving latitude, longitude) that show the following characteristics: (i) examples of areas with year-round high wind stress vectors and also areas with low wind stress vectors, and (ii) examples of areas with pronounced seasonal variation in the strength and direction of wind stress vectors, coupled with reasons/suggestions why such strong seasonal variability is observed in this region.

A strong answer will describe the locations of ocean regions with year-round high or low wind stress vectors in terms of geographic descriptors of the ocean basin and ranges of latitude & longitude. The values for wind stress vectors will be given with units, and their primary direction quoted using approximate compass direction. A strong answer will also discuss the reasons for seasonal variations in the directions of wind stress in the ocean regions where major changes are observed and relate them to seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation.

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