disturbing force
the energy that causes waves to form
ocean waves
an air-water interface that creates movement of air across the ocean surface
atmospheric waves
an air-air interface that creates movement of different air masses
internal waves
an orbital wave that moves along interface between fluids of different density
longitudinal waves
a wave phenomenon when particle vibration is parallel to the direction of energy propagation
transverse waves
a wave in which particle motion is at right angles to energy propagtion
orbital waves
a wave phenomenon in which energy is moved along the interface between fluids of different densities
crest
the portion of an ocean wave that is displace above the still-water level
trough
the part of an ocean wave that is displaced bwlow the still-water level
still water level
the horizontal surface halfway between creats and trough of a wave
wave height
the vertical distance between a crest and the adjoing trough
wavelength
the horizontal distance between two corresponding points on successive waves, such as from crest to crest
wave steepness
ratio of wave height to wavelength
wave period
the elapsed time between the passage of two successive wave crests past a fixed point
frequency
the number of wave crests passing a fixed locaion per unit of time
circular orbital motion
the motion of water particles caused by a wave as the wave is transmitted through water
wave base
the depth at which circular orbital motion becomes negligible
deep-water waves
an ocean wave traveling in water that has a depth greater than one-half the average wavelength
wave speed
the rate at which a wave travels
shallow-water waves
a wave on the surface having a wavelength of at least 20 times water depth
transitional waves
a wave moving from deep water to shallow water that has a wavelength more than twice the water depth but less tahn 20 times the water depth
capillary waves
an ocean wave whose wavelength is less than 1.74 cm
gravity waves
a wave for which the diminant restoring force is gravity
sea
a portion of the ocean where waves are being generated by wind
Beaufort Wind Scale
a standardized wind scale tha describes the appearance of the sea surface from dead calm conditions to hurricane-force winds
fully developed sea
the maximum average size of waves that can be developed for a given wind speed when it has blown in the same direction for a minimum duration over a minimum fetch
swell
a free ocean wave by which energy put into ocean waves by wind in the sea is transported with little energy loss across great stretches of ocean to the margins of continents where the energy is released in the surf zone
wave train
a series of waves from the same direction
wave dispersion
the separation of waves as they leave the sea area by wave size
decay distance
the distance over which waves change from a choppy 'sea' to uniform swell
constructive interference
a form of wave interference in which two waves come together in phase to produce a greater dispacement from the still-water line than that produced by either of the waves alone
destructive interference
a form of wave interference in which two waves come together out of phase and produce a wave with less displacement than the larger of the two waves would have produced alone
mixed interference
a pattern of wave interference in which there is a combination of constructive and destructive interference
surf beat
an irregular wave pattern caused by mixed intereference that results in a varied sequence of larger and smaller waves
surf zone
the nearshore zone of breaking waves
shoaling
to become shallow
spilling breaker
a type of breaking wave that forms on a gently sloping beach, which gradually extracts the energy from the wave to produce a turbulent mass of air and water that runs down the front slope of the wave
plunging breaker
impressive curling breakers that form on moderately sloping beaches
surgin breaker
a compressed breaking wave that builds up over a short distance and surges forward as it breaks
surfing
the sport of riding on the crest of along the tunnel of a wave
refreaction
the process by which the part of a wave in shallow water is slowed down, causing the wave to bend and align itself nearly parallel to the shore
orthogonal lines
a line constructed perpendicular to a wave front and spaced so that the energy between lines is equal at all times
wave reflections
a process that reflects waves back into the ocean with little loss of energy
standing waves
a wave, the form of which oscillates vertically without progressive movement
tsunami
a seismic sea wave
spalsh waves
a long-wavelength wave created by a massive object or series of objects falling into water
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