Exam 3 Flashcards
Wind waves cause an orbital motion of water which continues down to some depth, below which movement essentially stops. That depth equals:
1/2 the wave length
A Storm surge is associated with..
a low pressure weather system.
spring tide is associated with…
straight alignment of the moon, sun, and earth
how would you characterize a tidal amphidromic points?
tidal bulges rotate around them
What is a waves Disturbing Force?`
the Energy type/source that causes the waves to form
what is a waves restoring forces?
the force that returns water to a flat surface after a wave has formed
What is a wavelength?
the mesure of a wave’s size
ex: trough to trough or crest to crest
what is a Capillary Waves Disturbing force?
typically wind
What is a capillary waves restoring force?
the cohesion of water
what is the typical wavelength of a capillary wave?
up to 1.73 centimeters
What is the disturbing force of a wind wave?
Wind;
friction on the sea surface
What is the restoring force of a wind wave?
Gravity
What is the typical wavelength of a wind wave?
60 - 150 meters
What is the disturbing force for a seismic sea wave or tsunami?
Faulting of the sea floor;
Volcanic eruption
Landslides
What is the restoring force for a seismic wave or a tsunami?
Gravity
what is the typical wavelength for a seismic sea wave or tsunami
200 kilometers
What is the disturbing force of the tides?
the gravitional attraction of the moon and the rotation of the earth
what is the restoring force of the tides?
gravity
what is the typical wavelength of the tides?
Half of the Earth’s circumference
What is orbital motion?
The circular movement of water particles as a wave passes by.
This circular motion is caused by the wave’s energy moving through the water, creating a localized current beneath the surface.
What is a wave’s frequency?
The number of waves passing point A or B in each second
What is a wave’s period?
The time required for a crust or trough to get from point A to point b
What is the slope of a spilling wave?
A gentle bottom slope
What is the slope of a plunging wave?
Moderate bottom slope
What is the slope of a surging wave?
A steep bottom slope
What is a wind waves fetch?
The undisturbed distance over which wind blows without significant change in direction
What is a swell?
Smooth undulation of ocean water caused by wave dispersion
Wave Trains
Big waves make wave trains.
from wind;
a group of waves that travel in groups
What is wave refraction?
The slowing and bending of waves in shallow water
Wave lines usually approach the shore at an angle. Get refracted and waves break in a line almost parallel to the shore.
What are internal waves?
Internal waves are waves that move within the ocean not on the surface;
They happen at the boundaries between layers of water that have different temperatures, salenities, and therefore densities.
Where can internal waves form?
Internal waves can form between ocean layers of different densities
What is a storm surge?
An abrupt and short lived bold of water driven ashore by a tropical cyclone or frontal storm
What is a tsunami?
A long wavelength, shallow water, progressive wave caused by rapid displacement of ocean water
otherwise known as a seismic wave
What are the tides?
. Short term changes in the height of the ocean surface in a particular place
What is the equilibrium theory?
A theory that explains many characteristics of the tides;
Ocean service presumes always to be in balance with the forces acting upon it
What are the two types of tides?
Spring tides and neat tides
When do solar spring tides occur?
New Moon
When do lunar spring tides occur?
Full moon
When does solar neep tides occur?
First quarter moon
When does lunar neep tides occur?
Third quarter moon
What are Diurnal tides?
Tides that have one high tide and one low tide each tidal day
what are king tides?
Extremely high tides;
Occur when it is either a full or new moon, the moon is closest to the earth in its elliptical orbit, and the Earth is closest to the sun
What is a semi diurnal tide?
The most common title pattern around the world;
There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes or tidal day
What are coasts?
Larger zones affected by processes at the shore
What are the types of long term changes to the sea level?
Eustatic and local changes
What are eustatic changes
Things that are measured all over the world
Factors include the amount of water in the ocean volume of the oceans container and the volume of water as temperature varies
What are local change factors?
Tectonics and volcanic action
Wind, Currents, and storms
What is glacial rebound?
When glaciers push down on the land depressing the land surface
What are the causes of coastal erosion?
Hydraulic pressure of moving water
Gravel or stones thrown by waves
Water dissolving minerals in rocks
Digging and scraping of marine organisms
What are some common features found on erosional coasts?
Sea cliffs, sea caves, and sea arches,
Wave cut platforms found just offshore
what in longshore drift?
The movement of sand and sediment along the coast due to wave action
what are rip currents?
Narrow fast moving currents that flow from shore to sea
what are deltas?
Drowned river mouths that form where rivers deposit sediment as they enter slower moving or Stillwater like Ocean Sea or Lake
what are estuaries?
Semi enclosed coastal bodies of water where fresh water from rivers mix with saltwaters from the sea
Where do lagoons form?
they can form at the river mouths
what are estuaries origin ?
Drowned river mouths
Fjords
Bar-Built
Tectonic
What are the types of estuaries?
Salt wedge estuary
Next estuary
Mixed estuary
Fjord
Why are estuaries important?
A lot of creatures use them as nurseries.
They are a protective environment
What is a Wave train and how does it move?
A group of waves traveling together; longer wavelengths travel faster and leave formation areas first.
What happens to waves in shallow water?
They slowed down orbit becomes elliptical then back and forth causing swash. Speed depends on the depth
What are rogue waves and how are they formed?
Exceptionally large waves formed by constructive interference
When is those storm surge at its worst?
worst during high tides + strong hurricanes
What are amphidromic points
Points in the ocean where there are no tidal variations
Crest rotates around them due to the coriolis effect
What is the difference between a shore and a coast?
The shore is the water’s edge the coast is the broader zone affected by marine and terrestrial processes
What is wave refraction and its impact on coasts
Waves bend towards the shore
Concentrates energy on headlands, leading to erosion and straightening of shorelines
What defines a depositional coast?
It is dominated by sediment buildup via swash longshore drift and deposition features like beaches and barrier islands
Prokaryotes versus eukaryotes?
Prokaryotes have no nucleus, small, and single celled. Eukaryotes to have a nucleus organelle’s, often multicellular
Where did a life likely originate and how?
In the ocean; likely near hyperthermal vents through Chemosynthesis and rna based molecules
What is the significance of cyanobacteria?
They were early photosynthesizers that contributed to the Earth’s oxygen through Stromatolites
what is a cladogram?
A diagram showing evolutionary relationships using shared characteristics
