Air-Sea Fluxes and Oceanic Exchange Processes

Air–sea fluxes encompass the exchanges of momentum, heat and moisture at the interface between the atmosphere and the ocean. These exchanges occur through turbulent processes—such as sensible and latent heat fluxes—and through radiative transfers, influencing the surface energy budget and driving wind stress that regulates ocean circulation. Evaporation and precipitation link the ocean to the global hydrological cycle, while gas exchange facilitates the uptake and release of carbon dioxide and other gases, with profound implications for climate regulation. Boundary-layer dynamics over the sea surface modulate the intensity and variability of these fluxes, so that changes in wind speed, sea-surface temperature and humidity can alter regional weather patterns and large-scale climate phenomena. Observationally, advances in autonomous buoys, research vessels and satellite remote sensing have improved the spatial and temporal coverage of flux measurements, enabling more accurate parameterisations in numerical weather prediction and climate models. As models become more sophisticated, they better represent feedbacks between ocean mixing, sea-ice processes and atmospheric circulation, thereby refining forecasts of extreme weather, seasonal variability and long-term climate trends. A comprehensive understanding of air–sea exchange is therefore essential for projecting future changes in sea-level rise, marine ecosystems and anthropogenic carbon uptake, and for informing mitigation and adaptation strategies worldwide.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Air-Sea Fluxes and Oceanic Exchange Processes publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in air-sea fluxes and oceanic exchange processes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Air–sea fluxes: Exchanges of momentum, heat and moisture between the atmosphere and ocean at their boundary.

Sensible heat flux: Turbulent transfer of heat due to temperature differences between air and sea surface.

Latent heat flux: Heat exchange associated with evaporation or condensation of water at the surface.

Bowen ratio: The ratio of sensible heat flux to latent heat flux, indicating the partitioning of heat exchanges.

Wind stress: The force exerted by the wind on the ocean surface, driving currents and mixing.

Wind stilling: A long-term reduction in surface wind speeds, affecting evaporation and momentum transfer.

Evaporation: The process by which water is converted from liquid to vapour at the sea surface, influencing moisture flux.

References

1. A Bowen ratio-informed method for coordinating the estimates of air–sea turbulent heat fluxes. Environmental Research Letters (2024).
2. COWVRTEMPEST Multisensor Satellite-Based Surface State Parameter Retrievals. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (2024).
3. Recent Decline in Global Ocean Evaporation Due To Wind Stilling. Geophysical Research Letters (2025).