How the wind shapes the waves: Laser measurements reveal previously hidden interactions above the ocean
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - 07:23
in Physics & Chemistry
An international research team led by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon has, for the first time, succeeded in visualizing and quantifying the complex airflow dynamics directly above the ocean surface in high resolution. Using an innovative laser measurement system, previously unknown and highly complex mechanisms of energy exchange between wind and waves have been deciphered—a significant step forward for climate research, weather models, and ocean dynamics. The research findings have been published in Nature Communications.