AIR-WATER INTERACTION OF PADDLE WAVES UNDER WIND FORCING

The air-water interaction has been long studied in ocean physics, due to its importance to natural hazard and impact on human activities. Several studies in the literature provided advancements for a better comprehension of gases, mass and momentum exchanges at the interface. However, the subject is wide and many aspects are still unsolved, especially it is quite hard to extract data from the air and water boundary layer. A non-intrusive useful method to acquire data at the air-water interface is Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), which can extrapolate a huge amount of information in water. We perform an experimental study of regular waves generated by paddles propagating under the action of the wind. We discuss the importance of sea surface boundary layer under waves and winds based on laboratory experiments and scale analysis.