An Analysis of Airborne Measurements of Vertical Water Vapor Flux During BOMEX

Abstract

The initial analysis of the water vapor flux measurements taken onboard a NOAA DC-6 during the Barbados Oceanographic and Meteorological Experiment (BOMEX) is presented. The flux of water vapor seems to be constant in the lower subcloud layer. Day-to-day variations, as well as variations within a day are apparent in the evaporation data. Spatial variations of evaporation also seem to be present. The average value of water vapor flux for the experimental period is ∼0.5 cm day⁻¹. Spectra of the instantaneous flux reveal significant alongwind-crosswind differences. Height variation of the wavelength of maximum spectral density for crosswind runs is confirmed. The instantaneous flux is intermittent in nature. Consideration of the cross spectra and time series signatures allows some speculation upon models which may be responsible for a major portion of the water vapor transport in the lower subcloud layer during BOMEX.