METHODS OF MEASURING WIND STRESS OVER A WATER-SURFACE - DISCUSSIONS OF DISPLACEMENT HEIGHT AND VONKARMAN CONSTANT

Experiments were conducted in a wind-wave tank to study the long-standing discrepancy between wind stresses over a water surface determined with the profile and eddy-correlation methods. Inasmuch as the eddy-correlation method measures the turbulence flux directly, such a discrepancy is considered as an 'error' in the way the profile data are analyzed. Uncertainties in selections of the zero reference plane for the logarithmic velocity profile and of the value for the von Karman constant are suggested to be major sources of the error. To match the results obtained with two methods, the displacement height needs to vary with wave conditions, and the value of the von Karman constant is also discussed.