When we go to the beach, the most striking features are the sand, the breeze, the saltwater of the sea, the presence of shells. However, it is undeniable that waves are the most iconic feature of this environment. With their constant comings and goings, they mesmerize sunbathers and rejoice in the lives of surfers and other water sports lovers. But, do you know how the waves of the sea form?

According to Antonio Ruiz de Elvira, an Applied Physics professor who spoke to the staff of the El Mundo portal, sea waves are a more complex physical phenomenon than they seem and, contrary to what many people think, they do not form. simply because of the action of the wind on the water.

Ripples

According to Antonio, in fact, the surface of the seawater is not completely flat, like a mirror, but has slight irregularities that create small elevations and depressions. For the waves of the sea are the result of variations in pressure when the air passes over the ridges and valleys, that is, the small irregularities that exist on the surface of the water.

The sea surface is full of irregularities

As he explained, it is a nonlinear phenomenon where the depressions gradually become lower and the higher elevations, and over time the energy passing through the water causes it to move in a circular manner. However, it is important to point out that water does not travel in waves - in fact, it is the waves that transmit the energy through the ocean, and if nothing obstructs its path, they can potentially travel across an entire ocean basin.

In addition, according to NOAA - the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - both the moon and the sun exert gravitational influence that generate ripples on the sea surface, the famous tides. In addition, it is also worth remembering that extreme weather events, such as cyclones and hurricanes, can cause waves to form due to high winds and the pressure of these storms.

Meteorological and geological events can cause waves

In these cases, the meteorological phenomena cause the formation of storm tides, characterized by a series of long waves that are created on the high seas, far from the shoreline, in deep waters, and which become more intense as they approach the continent.

Still worth mentioning are tsunamis, which are potentially deadly waves caused by major disturbances - such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, etc. - leading to the emergence of series of giant waves that can have devastating effects.

* Posted on 10/13/2016