Sauvage, C.
César Sauvage

Oceanographic Researcher

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Download CV

About Me

I am currently a Oceanographic Researcher at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa working in Dr. Hyodae Seo Lab. My research focuses on advancing our understanding of air-sea interactions and exploring how the ocean influences both regional weather and climate.

To address these complex issues, I utilize coupled Earth system models, such as the SCOAR Regional Coupled Mode, which simulate interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, and surface waves. In addition to numerical simulations, I extensively analyze observational datasets of the marine boundary layer to evaluate current modeling capabilities and identify areas for improvement.

Improving the representation of air-sea interactions in these models is crucial, not only for enhancing weather forecasts but also for optimizing offshore wind energy assessments.

Interests
  • Air-sea interactions
  • Ocean surface waves
  • Air-sea flux parameterization
  • Regional coupled modeling
Education

  • Ph.D. in Oceanography-Meteorology

    CNRM, Paul Sabatier University, France

  • Engineering University - Hydrology

    Polytech’Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France

We are hiring !

Seo Lab in the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to join the ONR-funded SAFARI project (Study of Air–Sea Fluxes and Atmospheric River Intensity). The project will utilize a combination of in situ and satellite observations, along with high-resolution coupled model simulations, to investigate the link between spatial variability of SST–wind–wave–current interactions and the diabatic intensification or dissipation of atmospheric rivers through air-sea heat and momentum fluxes.

The successful candidate is expected to bring expertise in surface waves and air–sea interaction modeling, satellite remote sensing (e.g., SWOT), or analysis of in situ observations of air–sea fluxes, turbulent boundary layer processes, and/or their parameterizations.

Applicants must apply online.

Please contact Dr. Hyodae Seo (hyodae@hawaii.edu) and Dr. Cesar Sauvage (csauvage@hawaii.edu) with any questions.

Recent Publications
Misaligned Wind-Waves Behind Atmospheric Cold Fronts
Wind Waves Coupling

Misaligned Wind-Waves Behind Atmospheric Cold Fronts

Atmospheric fronts embedded in extratropical cyclones are high-impact weather phenomena, contributing significantly to mid-latitude winter precipitation. The three vital characteristics of the atmospheric fronts, high wind speeds, abrupt change in wind direction, and rapid translation, force the induced surface waves to be misaligned with winds exclusively behind the cold fronts. The effects of the misaligned waves under atmospheric cold fronts on air-sea fluxes remain undocumented. Using the multi-year in situ near-surface observations and direct covariance flux measurements from the Pioneer Array off the coast of New England, we find that the majority of the passing cold fronts generate misaligned waves behind the cold front. Once generated, the waves remain misaligned, on average, for about 8 hr. The parameterized effect of misaligned waves in a fully coupled model significantly increases the roughness length (185%), drag coefficient (19%), and air-sea momentum flux (11%). The increased surface drag reduces the wind speeds in the surface layer. The upward turbulent heat flux is weakly decreased by the misaligned waves because of the decrease in temperature and humidity scaling parameters being greater than the increase in friction velocity. The misaligned wave effect is not accurately represented in a commonly used wave-based bulk flux algorithm. Yet, considering this effect in the current formulation improves the overall accuracy of parameterized momentum flux estimates. The results imply that better representing a directional wind-wave coupling in the bulk formula of the numerical models may help improve the air-sea interaction simulations under the passing atmospheric fronts in the mid-latitudes.

avatar
Sauvage, C.
•
The wave-age-dependent stress parameterisation (WASP) for momentum and heat turbulent fluxes at sea in SURFEX v8.1
Wind Waves Coupling

The wave-age-dependent stress parameterisation (WASP) for momentum and heat turbulent fluxes at sea in SURFEX v8.1

A widely applicable parameterisation of turbulent heat and momentum fluxes at sea has been developed for the SURFEX v8.1 surface model. This wave-age-dependent stress parameterisation (WASP) combines a close fit to available in situ observations at sea up to wind speed of 60 m s−1 with the possibility of activating the impact of wave growth on the wind stress. It aims in particular at representing the effect of surface processes that depend on the surface wind according to the state of the art. It can be used with the different atmospheric models coupled with the surface model SURFEX, including the CNRM-CM climate model, the operational (numerical weather prediction) systems in use at Météo-France, and the research model Meso-NH. Designed to be used in coupled or forced mode with a wave model, it can also be used in an atmosphere-only configuration. It has been validated and tested in several case studies covering different surface conditions known to be sensitive to the representation of surface turbulent fluxes: (i) the impact of a sea surface temperature (SST) front on low-level flow by weak wind, (ii) the simulation of a Mediterranean heavy precipitating event where waves are known to influence the low-level wind and displace precipitation, (iii) several tropical cyclones, and (iv) a climate run over 35 years. It shows skills comparable to or better than the different parameterisations in use in SURFEX v8.1 so far.

Bouin, M-B.
•
Improving Wave-Based Air-Sea Momentum Flux Parameterization in Mixed Seas
Wind Waves Coupling

Improving Wave-Based Air-Sea Momentum Flux Parameterization in Mixed Seas

In winter, the Northwest Tropical Atlantic Ocean can be characterized by various wave age-based interactions among ocean current, surface wind and surface waves, which are critical for accurately describing surface wind stress. In this work, coupled wave-ocean-atmosphere model simulations are conducted using two different wave roughness parameterizations within COARE3.5, including one that relies solely on wind speed and another that uses wave age and wave slope as inputs. Comparisons with the directly measured momentum fluxes during the ATOMIC/EUREC4A experiments in winter 2020 show that, for sea states dominated by short wind waves under moderate to strong winds, the wave-based formulation (WBF) increases the surface roughness length in average by 25% compared to the wind-speed-based approach. For sea states dominated by remotely generated swells under moderate to strong wind intensity, the WBF predicts significantly lower roughness length and surface stress (≈15%), resulting in increased near-surface wind speed above the constant flux layer (≈5%). Further investigation of the mixed sea states in the model and data indicates that the impact of swell on wind stress is over-emphasized in the COARE3.5 WBF, especially under moderate wind regimes. Various approaches are explored to alleviate this deficiency by either introducing directional alignment between wind and waves or using the mean wave period instead of the wave period corresponding to the spectral peak to compute the wave age. The findings of this study are likely to be site-dependent, and mostly concern specific regimes of wind and waves where the original parameterization was deficient.

avatar
Sauvage, C.
•
Towards kilometer-scale ocean–atmosphere–wave coupled forecast: a case study on a Mediterranean heavy precipitation event
Wind Waves Coupling

Towards kilometer-scale ocean–atmosphere–wave coupled forecast: a case study on a Mediterranean heavy precipitation event

The western Mediterranean Sea area is frequently affected in autumn by heavy precipitation events (HPEs). These severe meteorological episodes, characterized by strong offshore low-level winds and heavy rain in a short period of time, can lead to severe flooding and wave-submersion events. This study aims to progress towards an integrated short-range forecast system via coupled modeling for a better representation of the processes at the air–sea interface. In order to identify and quantify the coupling impacts, coupled ocean–atmosphere–wave simulations were performed for a HPE that occurred between 12 and 14 October 2016 in the south of France. The experiment using the coupled AROME-NEMO-WaveWatchIII system was notably compared to atmosphere-only, coupled atmosphere–wave and ocean–atmosphere simulations. The results showed that the HPE fine-scale forecast is sensitive to both couplings: the interactive coupling with the ocean leads to significant changes in the heat and moisture supply of the HPE that intensify the convective systems, while coupling with a wave model mainly leads to changes in the low-level dynamics, affecting the location of the convergence that triggers convection over the sea. Result analysis of this first case study with the AROME-NEMO-WaveWatchIII system does not clearly show major changes in the forecasts with coupling and highlights some attention points to follow (ocean initialization notably). Nonetheless, it illustrates the higher realism and potential benefits of kilometer-scale coupled numerical weather prediction systems, in particular in the case of severe weather events over the sea and/or in coastal areas, and shows their affordability to confidently progress towards operational coupled forecasts.

avatar
Sauvage, C.
•