Intercomparison of Aircraft and Buoy Measurements of Wind and Wind Stress during SMILE

An intercomparison between low-level aircraft measurements of wind and wind stress and buoy measurements of wind and estimated wind stress was made using data collected over the northern California shelf in the Shelf Mixed Layer Experiment (SMILE). Twenty-five buoy overflights were made with the NCAR King Air at a nominal altitude of 30 m over NOAA Data Buoy Center (NDBC) environmental buoys 46013 and 46014 between 13 February and 17 March 1989; meteorological conditions during this period were varied, with both up- and downcoast winds and variable stability. The buoy winds measured at 10 m were adjusted to the aircraft altitude using flux profile relations, and the surface fluxes and stability were estimated using both the TOGA COARE and Large and Pond bulk parameterizations.