Science Modules using the Mini Wave Tank (working document)

Jack A. Puleo, Ph.D.

University of Delaware, Center for Applied Coastal Research

What are Waves

Wave Description

Period and Frequency

Energy Transport

Wave Speed

Shallow versus Deep Water

Tsunami View of a breaking wave

Beach Profile
from below the surface
 What is a Wave?

Waves are everywhere in nature

Most people think of waves on the ocean when someone mentions waves

But, they exist in many other places:

Here are a few examples: Can you think of more?

http://image.tutorvista.com
http://www.dermawave.com
http://lh3.ggpht.com
 Wave Description
A wave is a disturbance that travels through some medium (typically
air or water) from one place to another.

There are a variety of wave types, but here we will only discuss
surface waves

Surface waves travel on the surface of a fluid where particle undergo a

circular motion

For simple surface waves, the water particles have no net

displacement. The individual particles return to where they started
from.
 WAVE PARAMETERS
Wave elevation profile: deep water = sine wave
Wavelength Crest
amplitude

Height
Rest position

Trough
Crest: location of maximum upward displacement
Trough: location of maximum downward displacement
Amplitude (a): amount of maximum displacement from rest position
Height (H): vertical distance between trough and crest
Wavelength (L): The horizontal length of a complete wave cycle
 WAVE PARAMETERS

Period (T): time is takes for one cycle to complete

Frequency (f): refers to how often something happens, usually cycles
per second. The unit cycles per second is called Hertz (Hz)
1 1
T and f 
f T
 WAVE PARAMETERS

Moving with velocity, C

Velocity (C): distance divided by time

Crests can be seen to move along the ocean, how long it takes the crest
to get from one point to another is the velocity.

Velocity (C) = Wavelength/Period = L/T

Or

Velocity (C) = Wavelength * frequency = L*f

 WAVE PARAMETERS

Low energy
High energy
Energy (E): From the movie we saw that particles return to their
original position.

So, waves transport energy, NOT matter.

Wave energy is proportional to the amplitude of a wave SQUARED

E a 2
 WAVE PARAMETERS

Water particle motion within a wave train decays exponentially

with depth and varies in shape depending on relative depth.

L L L L
h h h
20 20 2 2
“Shallow” “Intermediate” “Deep”

where h is the water depth

Dean and Dalrymple Coastal Engineering textbook
 WAVE PARAMETERS
This suggest that the water particle motion changes with depth.

It also suggests that parameters such as velocity and wavelength

change with depth

g is gravity; g = 32.2 ft/s2.

“Deep Water” “Intermediate “Shallow Water”
Water”

Wavelength (L) 2
gT L
gT 2  2h 
L  T gh
L 2
tanh 
 L


2
Wave velocity (C)
gT C
gT  2h 
tanh  C  gh
C 2  L 
2
 WAVE PARAMETERS

Intermediate
region

Intermediate
region

T = 10 seconds, H = 6 ft.
 TSUNAMI

Tsunami are waves that often cause destruction.

They are often incorrectly referred to as tidal waves, but they are
not associated with the moon or sun that forces tides.

Tsunamis typically occur after an earthquake where parts of the

ocean floor are raised or lowered very rapidly.

They can also be caused by a landslide where lots of dirt and

rock quickly enter the ocean.
 TSUNAMI

The wavelength of a tsunami as it travels across the ocean can be

300-500 MILES.

A typical depth for an ocean basin may be 3 miles.

Tsunami height can

increase drastically
when the water
depth becomes
very shallow

http://www.jobsletter.org.nz
 BEACH PROFILE

The beach profile is the change in elevation or depth as a

function of cross-shore distance.

Example: it usually gets deeper as you go farther offshore.

Imagine staring straight offshore and taking a slice down

through the beach.

http://myweb.cwpost.liu.edu/vdivener/notes
 BEACH PROFILE

The profile shape is governed by variable waves and currents

During large waves, sand tends to move offshore. Sometimes

termed “winter” profile

During small, long period waves sand tends to move onshore.

Sometimes termed “summer” profile

SUMMER WINTER
coastalchange.ucsd.edu
 BEACH PROFILE

Changes in the beach profile can be simulated in the wave tank

by running waves of different size for periods of time.
 BEACH PROFILE SPREADSHEET
Screen shot of the Excel spreadsheet.