ECV Products and Requirements for Ocean Surface Heat Flux
These products and requirements reflect the Implementation Plan 2016 (GCOS-200). GCOS is reviewing and will update the requirements until 2022. More information on: gcos.wmo.int.
| PRODUCT | DEFINITION | FREQ. | RES. | REQUIRED MEASUREMENT UNCERTAINTY | STABILITY | STANDARDS/ REFERENCES |
| LATENT HEAT FLUX | The heat exchanged between the ocean and atmosphere associated with the phase change from liquid to gas of seawater during evaporation or from gas to liquid during condensation. | Hourly to monthly | 1-25km | 10-15Wm-2 | 1-2Wm-2 | See EOV Specification at www.goosocean.org/eov |
| SENSIBLE HEAT FLUX | The heat exchanged between the atmosphere and ocean when a warmer ocean warms the air above or when a cooler ocean cools the air above. | Hourly to monthly | 1-25km | 10-15Wm-2 | 1-2Wm-2 | www.goosocean.org/eov |
| RADIATIVE HEAT FLUX | The heat exchanged between the ocean and atmosphere resulting from the balance between radiation leaving the sea surface (reflected and emitted) and radiation passing through the sea surface into the ocean; often divided into an infrared or longwave and a visible or shortwave components. | Hourly to Monthly | 1-25km | 10-15Wm-2 | 1-2Wm-2 | www.goosocean.org/eov |
