Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory conducts research of climate influencing phenomena of mass, energy, momentum, gas and radiation fluxes across the sea surface. Our research topics are:

• studies of mass, energy, momentum, gas and radiation fluxes across the sea surface;
• study of concentration and size distribution of marine aerosol in the boundary layer over sea surface and in the coast zone;
• studies of atmospheric optical depth over coastal zones and open sea;
• modeling of the light field in atmosphere and ocean;
• study of the properties of the sea surface microlayer and its influence on the pattern of air-sea processes;
• other interdisciplinary research of air-sea interaction phenomena.

We approach the subject from several directions. Because wave breaking is the factor creating most of the variability of the fluxes, we study dynamics and kinematics of wave breaking using optical and acoustical observation techniques. The collected data helps us to model the momentum and energy interchange across the sea surface. Wave breaking creates air bubble clouds which are the source of marine aerosol. In order to develop functions of aerosol production over high sea areas and in the coast zone, we collect data about concentration and size distribution and of marine aerosol in the boundary layer using lidar sensing and particle counters as well as the optical depth of the atmosphere with sun photometers.
Modeling of the influence of bubble clouds on sea surface albedo is done using a fully 3-D Monte Carlo photon tracing technique. The code makes it possible to calculate of the spectral albedo footprint of a bubble cloud in function of the cloud shape and void fraction allowing for estimating the spectral effect of wave breaking on optical remote sensing of sea water components. Modified versions of the same code are used to study the effect of turbulence on the light field, with the aim of remote optical detecting of in-water turbulence using lidar system as well as to study the effect of oil slicks and in-water oil emulsion on the sea surface albedo.
As the area of air-sea interaction phenomena needs multidisciplinary approach, we cooperate with many European and overseas institutions as well as other groups in Institute of Oceanology (physical oceanography, marine and atmospheric optics, marine acoustics etc.).