The role of surface waves in the ocean mixed layer

Previously, most ocean circulation models have overlooked the role of the surface waves.As a result, these models have produced insufficient vertical mixing, with an under-prediction of the mixing layer (ML) depth and an over-prediction of the sea surface temperature (SST), particularly during the summer season.As the ocean surface layer determines the lower boundary conditions of the atmosphere, this deficiency has severely limited the performance of the coupled ocean-atmospheric models and hence the climate studies.To overcome this shortcoming, a new parameterization for the wave effects in the ML model that will correct this systematic error of insufficient mixing.The new scheme has enabled the mixing layer to deepen, the surface excessive heating to be corrected, and an excellent agreement with observed global climatologic data.The study indicates that the surface waves are essential for ML formation, and that they are the primer drivers of the upper ocean dynamics;therefore, they are critical for climate studies.