Denis Bourras

Stable isotopes in the atmospheric marine boundary layer water vapour over the Atlantic Ocean, 2012–2015

The water vapour isotopic composition (1H216O, H218O and 1H2H16O) of the Atlantic marine boundary layer has been measured from 5 research vessels between 2012 and 2015. Using laser spectroscopy analysers, measurements have been carried out continuously on samples collected 10–20 meter above sea level. All the datasets have been carefully calibrated against the international VSMOW-SLAP scale following the same protocol to build a homogeneous dataset covering the Atlantic Ocean between 4°S to 63°N. In addition, standard meteorological variables have been measured continuously, including sea surface temperatures using calibrated Thermo-Salinograph for most cruises. All calibrated observations are provided with 15-minute resolution. We also provide 6-hourly data to allow easier comparisons with simulations from the isotope-enabled Global Circulation Models. In addition, backwards trajectories from the HYSPLIT model are supplied every 6-hours for the position of our measurements.

A New Platform for the Determination of Air–Sea Fluxes (OCARINA): Overview and First Results

The present paper describes a new type of floating platform that was specifically designed for estimating air-sea fluxes, investigating turbulence characteristics in the atmospheric surface boundary layer, and studying wind-wave interactions. With its design, it can be deployed in the open ocean or in shallow water areas. The system is designed to be used from a research vessel. It can operate for ~10 hours as a drifting wave rider and three hours under power. Turbulence and meteorological instrument packages are placed at a low altitude (1-1.5 m). It was deployed for validation purposes during the FROMVAR 2011 experiment off the west coast of Brittany (France). Wind friction velocity and surface turbulent buoyancy flux were estimated using eddy-covariance, spectral, bulk and profile methods. The comparisons of the four methods show a reasonable agreement except for the spectral buoyancy flux. This suggests that the platform design is correct. Also the wind measured at a fixed height above the sea shows spectral coherence with wave heights, such that wind and swell are in phase, with largest wind values on top of swell crests. This result in qualitative agreement with current model predictions supports the capability of OCARINA to investigate wind-swell interactions.

A Nonlinear Statistical Model of Turbulent air-sea Fluxes

Abstract Most of the bulk algorithms used to calculate turbulent air–sea fluxes of momentum and heat are iterative algorithms whose convergence is slow and not always achieved. To avoid these drawbacks that are critical when large datasets must be processed, a statistical model of bulk air–sea fluxes based on artificial neural networks was developed. It was found that classical bulk algorithms were slower than the statistical model, by a factor of 1.75–7 depending on the bulk algorithm selected for the comparison. A set of 12 global analyses of an operational meteorological model as well as in situ data corresponding to equatorial and midlatitude conditions were used to assess the accuracy of the proposed model. The wind stress, latent, and sensible heat fluxes calculated with neural networks have acceptable biases with respect to bulk fluxes, between 0.4% and 1% depending on the flux magnitudes. Moreover, the rms deviation between bulk fluxes and neural network flux estimates is only 0.003 N m−2 for the ...

Design of an offshore three-bladed vertical axis wind turbine for wind tunnel experiments

The rapid shrinkage of fossil fuel sources and contrary fast-growing energy needs of social, industrial and technological enhancements, necessitate the need of different approaches to exploit the various renewable energy sources. Among the several technological alternatives, wind energy is one of the most emerging prospective because of its renewable, sustainable and environment friendly nature, especially at its offshore locations. The recent growth of the offshore wind energy market has significantly increased the technological importance of the offshore vertical axis wind turbines, both as floating or fixed installations. Particularly, the class of lift-driven vertical axis wind turbines is very promising; however, the existing design and technology is not competent enough to meet the global need of offshore wind energy. In this context, the project AEROPITCH co-investigated by EOLFI, CORETI and IRPHE aims at the development of a robust and sophisticated offshore vertical axis wind turbine, which would bring decisive competitive advantage in the offshore wind energy market. In this paper, simulations have been performed on the various airfoils of NACA 4-series, 5-series and Selig profiles at different chord Reynolds numbers of 60000, 100000 and 140000 using double multiple streamtube model with tip loss correction. Based on the power coefficient, the best suitable airfoil S1046 has been selected for a 3-bladed vertical axis wind turbine. Besides the blade profile, the turbine design parameters such as aspect ratio and solidity ratio have also been investigated by varying the diameter and chord of the blade. Further, a series of wind tunnel experiments will be performed on the developed wind turbine, and the implementation of active pitch control in the developed turbine will be investigated in future research.

Les avancées d'AMMA sur les interactions océan-atmosphère

The results gathered since the AMMA/EGEE campaigns of 2005-2007 in the field of air-sea interactions are presented. They show the key role of the Atlantic cold tongue (ACT) in the eastern equatorial Atlantic on the West African monsoon. The strengthening of south easterlies, associated with the Saint-Helena anticyclone, promotes the preconditioning of the thermocline along the equator and the development of the ACT.The equatorial front on its northern boundary, modifies the surface heat fluxes that affect the circulation in the lower atmosphere. This circulation helps to push moisture northward, toward the West African sub-continent, and impacts the monsoon jump.