air–sea interaction

From Glossary of Meteorology
The processes that occur as a consequence of the air being in contact with the sea surface, and that affect the dynamics and thermodynamics of the air and water boundary layers.

These include 1) the exchange of momentum, heat, mechanical energy (e.g., wave energy, turbulence), and mass (water vapor, gas species, particulates, sea spray, air bubbles, etc.); 2) the generation of surface waves; 3) the generation of turbulence; and 4) the resulting effects on the vertical profiles of wind and current.

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