Abstract: Kolmogorov’s hypothesis for a universal power law over the inertial subrange of the turbulence kinetic energy spectrum is one of the most well-known concepts in fluid physics. Obukhov and Corrsin extended the original hypothesis to a passive tracer, leading to the concept of an inertial-convective subrange with a unified -5/3 scaling. The validity, and limitations, of these postulates have been corroborated in experimental studies of atmospheric turbulence over land but have not been comprehensively studied in the marine air flow. Nonetheless, the -5/3 scaling is widely used both as a diagnostic and analytical tool for atmospheric turbulence study and application over the ocean environment. Here, the findings from an oceanic campaign where the R/P FLIP was deployed with a vertical mast of turbulence-resolving wind velocity, temperature, and water vapor sensors will be presented. This seminar will summarize the development of a novel algorithm for the identification and classification of the inertial-convective subrange that is generally applicable to turbulence spectra. This new spectral method will be applied to the study of the kinetic and thermodynamic turbulence spectrum over ocean waves as measured from the FLIP 3 – 16 meters above ocean waves. The key findings from this work are corroborating (1) Kolmogorov’s -5/3 scaling and (2) Obukhov-Corrsin’s hypothesis that scalar energy dissipation is driven by inertial motion in the marine atmospheric surface layer, however, (3) significant divergence from these theories is widely prevalent in the near-surface and may be linked to surface wave motion. The implications this has on turbulence study and air-sea-wave coupling will be discussed.

Short Bio: David Ortiz-Suslow is a Research Assistant Professor within the Department of Meteorology at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in California. Ortiz-Suslow’s research focuses on the physics of the air-sea transition zone with the aim of advancing numerical environmental prediction of the atmosphere-ocean coupled system for weather and climate, as well as understanding electromagnetic energy propagation in marine air. He earned his doctorate in Applied Marine Physics from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami (2017) within the Alfred C. Glassel Jr., SUSTAIN Laboratory under Prof. Brian Haus. Ortiz-Suslow’s graduate work focused on experimental studies of air-sea momentum exchange in shallow water and spray production over wind-forced waves. He joined NPS as a postdoc working in the Boundary Layer Processes Group under the supervision of Prof. Qing Wang, and participating in several major international field campaigns covering topics of coastal air-sea interaction, air-sea coupled boundary layers, and marine fog. Since 2020, he joined the Meteorology faculty as a research professor and has been developing his own research group focused on experimental and observational studies in air-sea interaction.