Attenuation of wind waves by monomolecular sea slicks and the Marangoni Effect

Previous observations of wind wave damping by monomolecular surface films (“slicks”) have shown a pronounced energy detraction (“dip”) in the short gravity wave range of the wind wave spectra. In this work, wind wave tunnel experiments with mechanically generated water waves have supplied experimental evidence which clearly shows that this dip is predominantly caused by the film‐induced “Marangoni effect.”