OUR LADY OF TRIUMPH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Bañadero Highway, Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines

Document Title:
ISO 9001:2015
COURSE MODULE IN
Meteorology & Oceanography
Course Code Met-O 2

Descriptive Title
Meteorology & Oceanography 2
Units 4

Pre-Requisite - Met-O 1

Academic Year A.Y. 2019-2020

Semester/Summer Summer 2020

Course Description Deals with the atmospheric pressure and its distribution, and winds
that generate waves and storm surge.

Water currents that affect sediments on the sea bottom and become
a factor to interfere with the functioning of port facilities.

Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences which

includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics, with a
major focus on weather forecasting.

Oceanography is the study of the physical and biological aspects of

the ocean.
Course Learning On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Outcomes CO1: Interpret area weather using a synoptic chart and information
received by weather fax.
CO2: Explain tropical revolving storms and how to avoid storm
centers and dangerous quadrants in both hemisphere.
CO3: Interpret ocean current system and principal adjoining
seas using various charts and nautical publications.
CO4: Calculate the tidal conditions based on nautical
publications on board and electronically obtained information
Instructor 2M EDUARDO L. DELOS REYES

Email Address edlopezdelosreyes@gmail.com

Facebook

Contact Number 09383071577

Module Topics Coverage

1 Area weather using a synoptic charts surface and Prelim
upper air.
A. synoptic weather chart
B. surface wind speeds
C. weather information

2 Tropical revolving storms and how to avoid storm Midterm

centers and dangerous quadrants in both
hemisphere.
A. Progress in weather depression Aug. 2020
B. Typical tracks of tropical revolving storms
C. Methods of determining the approximate
bearing of an approaching TRS
3 Ocean current system and principal adjoining Final
seas using various charts and nautical
publications.
A. Generation of drift currents by prevailing Aug. 2020
winds
B. General pattern of surface water circulation
C. use of tidal stream charts
D. Wave and Wave Properties
 Grading System
Grade Equivalent Interpretation

1.0 95-100% Excellent

1.1 94%
1.2 93%
1.3 92% Very Good
1.4 91%
1.5 90%
1.6 89%
1.7 88%
1.8 87% Good
1.9 86%
2.0 85%
2.1 84%
2.2 83%
2.3 82%
2.4 81%
2.5 80%
2.6 79% Fair
2.7 78%
2.8 77%
2.9 76%
3.0 75% Passed
5.0 below 75% Failed
Dr Dropped Dropped

This course shall adopt this grade distribution guide as follows:

Quizzes, Assignment – 30%
Oral Recitation, Portfolio, – 30%
Examination/Major Quiz – 40%
100%

Module 2
Wave and Wave Properties

Waves
The word wave may bring to mind images of the ocean or a lake, but waves can
occur in several different forms. The two main types of waves are mechanical
waves and electromagnetic waves. Mechanical waves are disturbances in any
medium or substance. Examples of mechanical waves include the movement of
water, from ripples in a puddle to giant rolling waves on the surface of the open
ocean. A plucked, vibrating guitar string represents a mechanical wave, as
does the sound wave it produces by disturbing the air around it.
 
Electromagnetic waves do not need to move through a substance in order to
propagate energy. Electromagnetic waves are disturbances or oscillations in
electrical and magnetic fields. Examples of electromagnetic waves include
visible light from a streetlamp, ultraviolet light from the sun, and radio waves
transmitted and received by a mobile phone. Both mechanical and
electromagnetic waves are capable of transferring energy. For example, water
waves (mechanical waves) can transfer energy across an entire ocean basin,
even though individual water molecules do not travel great distances.

Sources of Waves
Waves are caused by a physical disturbance or vibration. The force of blowing
wind is the physical disturbance that generates most water waves. Such waves
are termed wind waves. Wind wave patterns change with seasonal wind
patterns. For example, during the winter, waves on the northern shores of the
Hawaiian Islands can be very large. These large winter waves usually originate
from seasonal storms in the North Pacific ocean basin.
 
Although most water waves are caused by wind, there are other sources of
waves. Tsunamis are waves caused by movements of the earth’s crust, such as
earthquakes. Tsunamis are unpredictable and can rise unexpectedly from the
sea and level whole coastal communities. Tidal waves are caused by the
gravity of the moon and the sun. Tidal waves cause water levels in the ocean
and lakes to rise and fall on a regular, predictable basis, covering shores
during high tide and exposing them during low tide.
 
Activity: Watching Waves
The best way to learn about waves is to observe them. In
addition to ocean waves, waves can be observed on windy
days in lakes or rivers or, on a smaller scale, in swimming
pools, puddles, and even a glass of water.

Describing Waves
There are different ways to describe the properties of ocean waves, one being
surf reports (Table 4.0)
Table 4.0. Example O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Surf Report

The north and west shorelines are flat today. Town (south shore)
spots are bumpy, inconsistent and struggling for a 0.5 m set.
Diamond Head, Sandy’s and Makapuu are 0.25–0.5 m. Tradewinds
15–25 knots with clearing skies. Extreme low tide in the morning.
Fat high tide at 3:00 pm.
 
We have an out of season NNW as well as a South swell that are on
their way. We are looking at a bump for all shorelines this
weekend, especially by Sunday we should be looking at solid 1 m
for the South and North shores.
This forecast was produced through the collaborative efforts of the National
Weather Service (NWS) and the National Coastal Data Development Center
(NCDDC). For additional resources
see: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/pages/marine.php.
NWS Forecaster DONALDSON and Pat Caldwell, Pacific/Hawai‘i Liaison
Office, NCDDC
 
This surf report describes the consistency and size of waves and the wind. The
tides are noted because they affect the shape and location of waves. The report
also gives a forecast of future wave conditions.
 
When describing waves that are traveling at a constant rate and not changing
significantly over time, scientists often use the terms described in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1. Wave terms and formulas

Crest
The highest point of a wave

Trough
The lowest point of a wave

Wave height (H)

The vertical distance from crest to trough

Amplitude (A)
The vertical distance from crest to average surface level or still-
water level. Equal to one-half of the wave height.

Wavelength (L)
The horizontal distance from crest to crest

Wave period (T)

The time that it takes for one complete wave, from crest to crest to
pass a fixed point, usually expressed in seconds per wave. Period
is the inverse of frequency.
 Wave frequency (F)
The number of wave crests that pass a fixed point per unit of time,
usually expressed in waves per second. Frequency is the inverse of
period.

Wave speed (S)

The speed of the wave in a certain direction expressed as distance
per unit of time. Wave speed can be calculated by dividing the
wavelength of a wave by the period.

Still-water level
Water level when the surface is flat and smooth with no waves.
Still-water level is slightly lower than halfway between the crest
and trough because crests are usually steeper and narrower than
troughs.

Wave direction
If a wave has a speed (S), then wave direction can be noted used
compass headings or arrows in a diagram.

Fig. 4.2. Profile of a standing water wave

Image by Byron Inouye

To represent these attributes visually, scientists may use a wave profile
diagram (Fig. 4.2). A wave profile is a side view of a wave and is used to show
wave features including crests, troughs, wave height, and wavelength. In order
to describe a set of waves traveling in a specific direction, scientists use top-
view wave diagrams (Fig. 4.3), where vertical lines represent the consecutive
troughs or crests of waves. An arrow is used to depict the direction of
propagation (movement) of the waves.
Fig. 4.3. Diagram showing two views of waves. The side view
A) shows a wave profile with several crests and troughs. The top view ( B) shows
the same waves with vertical lines representing the wave crests traveling in the
direction represented by an arrow.

Weird Science: Communicating Wave Sizes—Local Scale

 
Calculating Wave Properties
By mathematically relating wave properties, it is possible to gain valuable
information about wave behavior. The basic properties of waves are measurable
in units of distance and time. Two properties that can be measured directly
are wavelength (L), which is the distance or length from wave crest to wave
crest, and period (T), which is the time it takes a wave to pass a fixed point
(Fig. 4.2).

Wave Speed
Wave speed is often reported in standard scientific units of meters per second
(m/s), but can also be reported in meters per minute (m/min) or other units of
distance per unit of time. Knowing wavelength and wave period, the wave
speed (S) can be calculated by dividing wavelength (L) by time, or period (T).
For example, if a wave has a wavelength of 20 meters and a period of 4
seconds, wave speed can be calculated by dividing 20 m by 4 s, which is equal
to 5 m/s.

Wave Period
In order to determine the period of a wave, it is necessary to know the amount
of time between waves. Period is usually measured in seconds per wave. To
determine period (T), wavelength (L) is divided by speed (S). For example, to
find the period of a wave with a speed of 6 m/s and a wavelength of 12 meters,
divide the length by the speed; 12 m divided by 6 m/s equals 2 s.

Wave Frequency and Wave Period

To calculate wave frequency and period, it is helpful to remember the inverse
relationship between these two properties. Frequency is measured in waves per
second and period is measured in seconds per wave. For example, if the period
is 2 seconds, then the frequency is 0.5 waves per second.
 
Standing waves are waves that do not appear to move forward or advance in
position. Rather, they oscillate or vibrate in place. A plucked guitar string is an
example of a standing mechanical wave with two fixed ends. Standing waves
occur when waves with the same frequency, wavelength, and amplitude
interact. In contrast to standing waves, transverse waves advance in position.
Water waves on the surface of the ocean do not typically behave like standing
waves. Instead, they behave like transverse waves, propagating their energy
forward as they move.