Sensible Heat Flux

Sensible heat flux is the heat exchanged between the sea surface and the atmosphere by conduction and turbulent transport, set by the air-sea temperature difference. The bulk aerodynamic formula gives Q_s = rho * c_p * C_H * U * (T_s - T_a), where T_s is the sea surface temperature, T_a the air temperature, U the wind speed, c_p the specific heat of air, and C_H a transfer coefficient near 1.0e-3. It is positive (ocean loses heat) when the sea is warmer than the air, which is the usual case. It is usually smaller than latent heat flux, on the order of 10 to 30 W/m2, but spikes during cold-air outbreaks over warm western boundary currents.