Waves
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Presentation Transcript
Waves • Characteristics of All Wind-generated Waves • Deep Water Waves • Shallow Water Waves • Other Water Waves
Parts of Waves • Crest, trough, wavelength • Wave Height (H) • Wave Steepness • Period (T)
Deep Water Waves • A wave in water depth > one-half wavelength • Sea vs. swell • What determines wave height?
Shallow Water Waves • Waves in water depth less than 1/20of wavelength • Often associated with surf zone • Variety of surf depends on shape of bottom • Plunging • Spilling • Surging
spilling surging plunging
Wave Speed • Deep water wave • Speed = 1.56T • Shallow water wave • Speed = 3.1 times square root of water depth
Wave Refraction • Bending of wave crests • Waves approach beach at angle • One part of crest reaches shallow water first and slows down • Waves become more parallel to shore
Refraction along irregular coast • note distribution of wave energy • most of energy strikes headlands • causes erosion of headland, deposition in bays • coastal straightening occurs
Tsunamis • disturbance of ocean floor • speed greater than 700 km/hr • wavelength greater than 200 km • crests can exceed 30 m as reach shore
Information on tsunamis • http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/