Probability distribution of sea surface wind stresses

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Abstract
The probability density function (pdf) of sea surface wind stresses is considered. Observed sea surface wind stresses are highly non‐Gaussian, with characteristic relationships between moments. A consideration of empirical models of sea surface wind stress pdfs built from models of sea surface vector winds demonstrates that non‐Gaussian structure in the vector winds must be accounted for to accurately characterise the observed relationships between wind stress moments. An idealised stochastic boundary layer model is shown to provide a good qualitative characterisation of these pdfs.