The scientists studied how wind and waves interact in a controlled tank. They found that wind speed near the water surface follows a specific pattern, and changes as you move away from the water. At low wind speeds, ripples on the water affect how rough the surface is, while at higher speeds, the height of waves becomes more important. They also discovered that a certain formula for wind-wave interactions only works at high wind speeds. By using special floats, they were able to measure how currents on the water's surface change with wind. Overall, they found that wind has a bigger impact on water than friction does on a rough surface.