3 An Introduction to Surface Waves
3.1 Introduction
In Part I of this book various phenomena which fall within the scope of classic fluid mechanics were described. However, in the world's ocean there are
many large scale flows, such as waves, large ocean currents, or tides, which are
beyond the scope of classic fluid mechanics and usually not treated in fluid
mechanics textbooks. All of these flows are the subject of examination within
a discipline known as geophysical fluid dynamics, which emerged in the
late 1950s. Geophysical fluid dynamics deals with the large-scale motion observed in various atmospheric and oceanic systems, but nevertheless governed
by similar dynamics.
In Part II of this book we will describe a number of phenomena which play
an important role for ecology of marine organisms. Thanks to advances in geophysical fluid dynamics, reliable predictions of the behaviour of some elements
of the ocean-atmospheric system are now available. These form the basis for
subsequent prediction of the potential response of living oceanic resources.
In the next six chapters we will discuss small- and large-scale oceanic phenomena, such as waves, tides, internal waves, currents and water mass transport.
The linkage of these phenomena with marine ecology will be the subject of
discussion in Part III of this book.
3.2 Nature of Wave Motion
Waves are a common phenomenon in everyday life. Sound, the motion of
plucked strings, ripples on a pond, oscillations of the ocean surface, signals
from satellites, radio and television stations are all examples of various types of
waves. However, in this book we will concentrate only on ocean waves. Before
attempting to classify various types of water waves, let us consider some of the
observable characteristics of wave motion:
1. A wave transfers a disturbance from one part of a material to another.
For example, the disturbance caused by dropping a stone into a pond is
transmitted across the pond in the form of ripples.
S. R. Massel, Fluid Mechanics for Marine Ecologists
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999
3.1 Introduction
In Part I of this book various phenomena which fall within the scope of classic fluid mechanics were described. However, in the world's ocean there are
many large scale flows, such as waves, large ocean currents, or tides, which are
beyond the scope of classic fluid mechanics and usually not treated in fluid
mechanics textbooks. All of these flows are the subject of examination within
a discipline known as geophysical fluid dynamics, which emerged in the
late 1950s. Geophysical fluid dynamics deals with the large-scale motion observed in various atmospheric and oceanic systems, but nevertheless governed
by similar dynamics.
In Part II of this book we will describe a number of phenomena which play
an important role for ecology of marine organisms. Thanks to advances in geophysical fluid dynamics, reliable predictions of the behaviour of some elements
of the ocean-atmospheric system are now available. These form the basis for
subsequent prediction of the potential response of living oceanic resources.
In the next six chapters we will discuss small- and large-scale oceanic phenomena, such as waves, tides, internal waves, currents and water mass transport.
The linkage of these phenomena with marine ecology will be the subject of
discussion in Part III of this book.
3.2 Nature of Wave Motion
Waves are a common phenomenon in everyday life. Sound, the motion of
plucked strings, ripples on a pond, oscillations of the ocean surface, signals
from satellites, radio and television stations are all examples of various types of
waves. However, in this book we will concentrate only on ocean waves. Before
attempting to classify various types of water waves, let us consider some of the
observable characteristics of wave motion:
1. A wave transfers a disturbance from one part of a material to another.
For example, the disturbance caused by dropping a stone into a pond is
transmitted across the pond in the form of ripples.
S. R. Massel, Fluid Mechanics for Marine Ecologists
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999