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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS,
VOL. 35,
L13808,
doi:10.1029/2008GL034172,
2008
Wind power distribution over the ocean
W. Timothy Liu
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
Wenqing Tang
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
Xiaosu Xie
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
Abstract
Probability distribution and power density of wind speed over global oceans are computed from eight years of QuikSCAT measurements.
They describe the variation and higher moments of wind speed that are critical in relating the non-linear effects of wind
on electric power generation capability, shipping hazard, and air-sea exchanges in heat, water, and greenhouse gases. The
power density distribution confirms our general knowledge of atmospheric circulation related to mid-latitude storm tracks,
trade winds, and monsoons. It also reveals regions of high wind power associated with flow distortion by land, wind channeled
by land topography, and buoyancy effect on turbulent stress driven by ocean fronts.
Received 4
April
2008;
accepted 3
June
2008;
published 8
July
2008.
Keywords: wind power density;
remote sensing;
air-sea interaction.
Index Terms: 4504 Oceanography: Physical: Air/sea interactions (0312, 3339); 1616 Global Change: Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513); 1640 Global Change: Remote sensing (1855); 4528 Oceanography: Physical: Fronts and jets; 4262 Oceanography: General: Ocean observing systems.
Read Full Article (file size: 1051758 bytes) Cited by
Citation: Liu, W. T., W. Tang, and X. Xie
(2008),
Wind power distribution over the ocean,
Geophys. Res. Lett.,
35,
L13808,
doi:10.1029/2008GL034172.
Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.
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