On the parameterization of the roughness length for the air-sea interface in free convection

The roughness length at the air-sea interface during free convection (z_0fc) is mainly related to the convective velocity (w_*) rather than the friction velocity (u_*). The parameterization of z_0fc with w _* ² /g as proposed by Abdella and DAlessio in 2003 is evaluated. It is shown that their proposed formula is consistent with field measurements. In order to avoid self-correlation by using u_*, a new parameterization of w_* with wind speed (U_z) at height z and stability parameter (z/L, where L is the buoyancy length) is proposed. This new formula for w_* is in agreement with an independent field result.