Wave Types

 Surface Waves
Wind Generated Waves
Storm Surge
Tides
Seismic Sea Waves (Tsunamis)
Standing Waves
 Internal Waves
Same varieties as surface waves
 Anatomy of a Wave

Wave Crest: High point of the wave form.

Wave Trough: Low point of the wave form.
Wave Length: Distance from a point on one wave to the same point on the next
wave.
 Categories of Surface Waves
 Deep Water Waves
L where,
h>
2 h = Water depth
 Transition Waves L = Wavelength
L L
<h<
20 2
 Shallow Water Waves
L
h<
20
Wave Speed, Wave Length, and Wave
Period
Relationships for Surface Waves
L
C=
T where,

L C = Wave Celerity
T= L = Wave Length
C
T = Wave Period
L = C ×T
Calculating Wave Speed (Celerity)
From Latin Celer meaning Swift

C Deep = gL = g × L = 12.5 L (cm / sec)

2π 2π
 Notice deep water wave speed is a function of wave
length and longer waves move faster.

C Shallow = gh = g × h = 980 × h = 31.3 h (cm / sec)

 Notice shallow water wave speed is a function of water
depth. Shallow water waves travel faster in deeper water.
where,
g = Gravity = 980cm/sec2
L = Wave length in centimeters
h = Water depth in centimeters
Orbital Motion of Deep Water Waves

Notice water motion follows a circular path

Orbital Motion of Shallow Water
Waves

Notice water motion follows an elliptical path

A Stationary or Standing Wave

Water flows back and forth about a node, a point with no vertical water
motion. The endpoints are antinodes, points with maximum vertical
water motion.
 Uninodal Standing Wave

Yellow dashed line indicates undisturbed sea level. Dots indicate water
motion.
 Binodal Standing Wave

Yellow dashed line indicates undisturbed sea level. Dots indicate water
motion.
Standing Wave in an Open Basin

Yellow dashed line indicates undisturbed sea level. Dots indicate water
motion.
Equations for Standing Waves
where,
C = gh C = Wave Celerity
LB = Basin Length

2 LB T = Wave Period
T=
gh g = Gravity
h = Water Depth
 Notice wave speed is calculated with the shallow water
wave equation. This is also called the gravity wave speed.
 Internal Wave Propagation

Yellow dashed line indicates undisturbed sea level. Dots indicate water
motion.
 Internal Uninodal Standing Wave

Yellow dashed line indicates undisturbed sea level. Dots indicate water motion.
 Internal Binodal Standing Wave

Yellow dashed line indicates undisturbed sea level. Dots indicate water motion.
 Generating Internal Waves

The above images show how internal waves can be generated by passage of a
denser fluid or even a submarine.
 Equations for Internal Waves
gH where,
C=
⎡(ρ 2 −ρ 1 ) ⎤ C = Wave Celerity
⎢
⎣ ρ2⎥
⎦
H = Height of Upper Layer
g = Gravity

C2 ⎛ ρ2 ⎞ Density of Upper Layer

H= ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
g ⎝ ρ 2 −ρ 1 ⎠ 2 = Density of Lower Layer

 Notice wave height depends on the density difference between the

two fluid layers. The smaller the difference the larger the wave and
the faster it moves.
 Atmospheric Internal Waves

Rising air cools, water condenses clouds form. Sinking air warms and
clouds evaporate.
 Internal Wave Propagation

Yellow dashed line indicates undisturbed sea level. Dots indicate water
motion.
 Breaking Atmospheric Internal
Waves

Internal waves break just like surface waves as shown by the above
photograph of an atmospheric internal wave traveling along the interface
between warmer air below and cooler air above. Black Forest, Germany.
 Wave Refraction

The image at right is a

photo of refracted
converging internal
waves taken from the
space shuttle. The waves
occurred off the coast of
Somalia and were
possibly caused by
variations in bottom
topography.
 Wave Dispersion
The image at right
is a photo of
refracted dispersing
internal waves
taken from the
space shuttle. The
waves are formed
as water enters the
Mediterranean Sea
through the Strait
of Gibraltar.
Shallow water near
the edges slows
that part of the
wave allowing the
center to move
faster as it flows
through.