Dissipation of ocean waves due to whitecapping is one of the most important processes that affect generation of gravity waves by wind. Different behavior of traditional approaches used for quantifying whitecapping dissipation under different wave conditions has always been a challenge to choose the most appropriate approach for a given area. The present paper examines the performance of two popular whitecapping approaches incorporated in SWAN during the winter storms along the US east coast.

In this study we used a state-of-the-science coupled physical–biogeochemical model to simulate and examine temporal and spatial variability of sea surface CO₂ concentration in the Gulf of Mexico. Our model revealed the Gulf was a net CO₂ sink with a flux of 1.11 ± 0.84 × 1012 mol C yr⁻¹. We also found that biological uptake was the primary driver making the Gulf an overall CO₂ sink and that the carbon flux in the northern Gulf was very susceptible to changes in river inputs.

WRF/Chem simulations are performed to understand the impacts of cumulus parameterizations and air-sea interactions on coastal air quality. The use of different cumulus parameterizations gives different vertical mixing and wet scavenging. The use of different air-sea interaction treatments also gives different predictions of O3 and PM2.5 by up to 17.3 ppb and 7.9 μg m-3, respectively. WRF/Chem-ROMS improves model predictions, illustrating the benefits and needs of using coupled atmospheric-ocean