Different mechanisms of heat transfer to the ocean surface dominate within different depth regions. Under suitable weather conditions, radiation dominates within the upper micron of depth. Turbulence is dominant at greater depths, but the evidence indicates that, with wind speeds less than 10 m/sec, it dominates only at depths greater than 0.5 mm. A region in which heat is transferred almost entirely by conduction lies between. Radiometric measurements of the total heat flow to the ocean surface may be made in this region.

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An airborne system for measurement of the total heat flow from the sea has been developed and used successfully during the BOMEX exercises in May 1969. Details of the system are described, and its operation is illustrated by one day's results at Barbados, W. I. Continuous recalibration of detector sensitivity was a major improvement which permits measurement of sea surface temperature to 0.01 degrees C.

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Airborne measurements of the total heat flux from the sea were successfully made during the Barbados oceanographic and meteorological experiment in May 1969. The values found at night ranged from 0.05 to 0.45 cal cm−2 min−1 and are half‐hour averages over contiguous strips of ocean 1.6 km long and 75 meters wide. These are the first airborne measurements of this oceanic factor and the method used is new.