MOTION IN THE

OCEAN
Waves, Tides, and Currents
 Waves
 A disturbance which
moves through or
over the surface of a
fluid

 Mostly caused by
winds
(Also earthquakes,
volcanoes, grav. pull)

 Form of great energy

 Wave Characteristics
 Parts of a Wave
 Crest = high point

 Trough = low point

 Height = vertical
distance from crest to
trough

 Wavelength =
Horizontal distance
between crest to crest
or trough to trough
 Size of Wind Generated
Waves
 Depends on 3 things:
 Wind Speed
 Wind Duration (length of
time wind blows)
 “Fetch” Extent of open
water across which the
wind can blow
 Importance of Waves
 Shaping
Coastlines
 Erode cliffs
 Grind rock into sand

 Ecology
 Returns O2 to water
 Stir up food for filter
feeders
 Types of Waves
CHOP – Short period (back bays)

SWELL – Long period (boat rolls; seasickness)

SWASH – water up beach BACKWASH – back down

 TSUNAMI “TIDAL WAVE”

Caused by undersea quake or volcano

• Wavelength = ~150 mi. Wave height = 6” – 1’
Can NOT perceive in boat Speed > 500 mph

Slows down to ~25 mph at shore; water builds up to ~65+ ft

Tsunami Waves
Creation of a Tsunami
 Tides
 The rhythmic rise and
fall of the ocean’s water

High tide = rising, incoming

tide, flow
Low tide = receding, outgoing
tide, ebb
Slack tide = vertical movement
stops
 Tides are very long,
slow waves

 They have a wave

period of 12 hours 25
min

 Tidal day is 24 hours

50 min

 NJ has 2 high and 2

low tides daily
 What Causes Tides?
1. Gravitational pull of
sun & moon on Earth

• Moon closer, therefore

> effect

• Like magnet, pulls water

away from surface
= TIDAL BULGE
 Types of Tides
•Spring Tide
- Moon and sun are in direct
line with one another
- Results in unusually
high tidal range
-Tidal Range = vertical
distance between high &
low tides
 2x’s/month
 Neap Tide
 sun and moon are at
right angles

 Pulls cancel each

other out – causes a
weak pull

 unusually low tidal

range

 2 x’s / month
Spring vs. Neap Tides
 Types of Tides Continued
 Diurnal Tides
 1 high & 1 low / day

 Parts of Gulf of Mexico and Asia

 Semi-Diurnal Tides
 2 high & 2 low / day

 Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe

 Mixed
 2 high & 2 low / day (height varies)

 Pacific coast
 Importance of Tides
• Expose & submerge orgs

• Circulate water in bays &

estuaries
• Circulates food, wastes, etc
• Trigger spawning (grunion,
horseshoe crab)
 Currents
• What are currents?
- “Rivers” of circulating water

• Causes
- Wind
- Rotating Earth
- Density Changes
 Surface Ocean Currents
• Broad, slow drifts; never
cross equator

• Wind generated; circular

patterns
• Coriolis Effect
- N. Hemis – clockwise; Right

- S. Hemis – counterclockwise; Left

 • Gulf Stream
- N. Atlantic
- Brings warm water
from equator north along
east coast of N. A.

-Sometimes form eddies –

circulating water that
pinches off from the
current
MIGRATION NAVIGATION

WEATHER
 Localized Surface Currents
Longshore Current.

 Flows parallel to shore; move sediment

RIP CURRENT
- Caused by converging longshore currents
- Very dangerous ; Red Flag
- DO NOT fight rip current; swim parallel to shore to
get out of channel
 Deep Ocean Currents
Flow
beneath surface; cross
equator
Move North to South

 Separated from surface

currents by boundary
called a “Thermohaline”
(diff in densities)
Importance Of Deep Currents
 Upwelling
• Brings deep water to surf.
• Circulates nutrients up
• Moves plankton & larvae