LONGWAVE RADIATION BUDGET IN THE MEDITERRANEAN-SEA

Direct measurements of infrared budget and meteorological parameters a t sea were carried out in the western Mediterranean Sea during differe nt seasons in the years 1989-1992. The spatial and time distribution o f this data set allows us to perform an exhaustive test on the most wi dely used infrared budget bulk formulas. An underestimation of about 3 0 W/m(2) is systematically observed, confirming previous results obtai ned by a limited data set. This discrepancy is independent of the time of the year and location of measurements, indicating an inability of the bulk formulas to reproduce the infrared Mediterranean budget. The completeness of the data set enables us to determine a new relation be tween infrared budget and meteorological parameters. Alternative expre ssions, to be used accordingly with the available data sets, are prese nted here.