Chapter 9: Waves and Water

Dynamics
Fig. 9-10
 Waves are moving energy
 Forces cause waves to move along air/water
or within water
 Wind (most surface ocean waves)

 Movement of fluids with different densities

 Internal waves often larger than surface

waves
 Mass movement into ocean
 Splash waves
 Seafloor movement
 Tsunami or seismic sea wave
 Gravitational attraction Earth, Moon,
Sun
 Tides
 Human activities
 Wakes of ships
 Explosions
Progressive waves
 Longitudinal
 “Push-pull”
 Transverse
 Side-to-side or up-and-down
 Orbital
 Circular orbit
 Ocean surface waves
 Types of waves

Fig. 9-3a
 Wave characteristics
 Crest, trough
 Wave height is proportional to energy
 Wave length
 Wave height/wave length = wave
steepness
 Waves break when H/L is 1/7
 Wave period, frequency
Wave characteristics
 Wave base is 1/2 wave length
 Negligible water movement due to waves
below this depth Fig.9-6a
Deep-water wave
 Depth of water is greater than
1/2 wavelength
 Speed of wave form (celerity) is
proportional to wavelength
 Shallow-water wave
 Water depth is less than 1/20 wavelength
 Friction with seafloor retards speed
 Wave speed (celerity) is proportional to depth
of water
 Orbital motion is flattened
Transitional waves
 Water depth is 1/2 to 1/20 of
wavelength
 Characteristics of deep and
shallow-water waves
 Wave speed (celerity) is
proportional to both wavelength
and depth of water
Three types of waves
Wave equations
 Wave speed = wavelength/period
 S = L/T

 Frequency = 1/period
 F = 1/T

 Wave speed (m/s) = 1.56 x period

 S = 1.56 x T
Surface ocean waves
 Most wind-driven
 Small wind-driven waves
 Capillary waves

 Larger wind-driven waves

 Gravity waves
Sea
 Storm at sea creates waves
 Wave energy depends on
 Wind speed
 Fetch

 Duration

 Chaotic mixture of different

wavelengths and wave heights
Wave dispersion
 Longer wavelength waves
outdistance shorter wavelength
waves
 Waves travel in groups or trains

with similar characteristics

 Swell made up of waves of

similar wavelength and period

Wave interference
 Constructive
 Wave heights increase

 Destructive
 Wave heights decrease

 Mixed
 Wave heights vary in wave train

(surf beat)
 Interference illustrated

Fig. 9-14
 Rogue waves

Fig. 9-16

 Unusually large waves

 Constructive interference
 Waves meet strong ocean current
 Shoaling waves
 Waves reach surf zone
 Wave speed decreases
 Wave length decreases

 Wave height increases

 Wave steepness 1/7, wave breaks

 Surface tension no longer able to hold

wave together
Breakers
 Spilling
 Gentle beach slope
 Plunging
 Moderately steep slope
 Surging
 Abrupt slope
 Wave refraction
 Shoaling waves bend so wave fronts
approach a shore nearly parallel

Fig. 9-19a
 Wave energy
focused on
headland
 Wave energy
dispersed over
bay
Fig. 9-19b
 Wave diffraction
 Wave energy
transferred
around or
behind barriers

Fig. 9-20
Wave reflection
 Waves bounce back from steep
slopes or seawalls
 Reflected wave may
constructively interfere with
other waves
 Standing waves

 Two waves with same wavelength

moving in opposite directions
 Node – no vertical movement
 Greatest horizontal movement

 Antinode – greatest vertical

movement
Fig. 9-22
 Tsunami or seismic sea wave
 Caused by sudden changes in
volume of ocean basin
 Mainly submarine faults

 Volcanic eruptions

 Submarine landslides
Fig. 9-23a
Tsunami
 Very long wavelength
 Travels fast
 Raises sea level as crest shoals
 Trough causes sea level to fall

 Disastrous for infrastructure at

coasts
 Possibly much loss of life
Tsunami warning system
 Monitor seismic activity
 Monitor changes in unusual

wave activity
 Warning

 People evacuate
 End of Chapter 9: Waves and
Water Dynamics

Fig. 9D