FY 1989

Comparison of equatorial winds as measured by cup and propeller anemometers

Freitag, H.P., M.J. McPhaden, and A.J. Shepherd

J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., 6(2), 327–332, doi: 10.1175/1520-0426(1989)006<0327:COEWAM>2 (1989)

This study compares the performance of cup vs. propeller anemometers from surface-following taut-line moorings in the equatorial Pacific. Vector wind components at 4 m above the sea surface were measured from a mooring instrumented with a cup anemometer and concurrently from a nearby mooring instrumented with a propeller anemometer. Mean wind conditions over the 115-day comparison period were typical of the southeast trade winds with a mean speed of 6.7 m ⁻¹ and a steadiness factor of 0.96. Differences between the time series measured by the two wind sensors were small. Mean speed differed by 0.02 m s⁻¹ and mean direction by 1.4°. Correlation coefficients for 2-hour vector-averaged zonal component, meridional component, speed and direction were 0.97 or above. The small differences in measurements imply that the two systems are equally suited for near-surface wind observations under typical tradewind conditions.