In our time, it is difficult to imagine that once on Earth there were no people and cities in which they live now, as well as roads and arable land. But the fact is that during all geological periods the ocean was present, and just like today, sea waves rolled between it and the shores. Indeed, the most ancient landscape on our planet is the view of a rippling water surface, covering it by two-thirds. How many poets were inspired by the waves of the sea! But does their description reflect the true essence of this phenomenon?
We look at the pictures: the waves of the sea seem to us to glide across them in the water. But it turns out that this is not so. If you look closely at a sliver or any other object located on the water (for example, a boat), we notice that the incident sea waves do not push it, but only raise it, then lower it. In the same way, a yellowing field in the fields worries up and down with gusts of wind. Its ears and stems do not change their location and do not roll from one section to another. They only lie a little forward, and then again return to their original position. But we do not see this, because we observe “waves” running across the field one after another, and all the ears of wheat remain in the same place.
A similar phenomenon is reflected in
folklore. Recall a proverb comparing human rumor and sea waves. How quickly the news spreads around the city. But no one runs from one end to the other, proclaiming them. Just the news is transmitted by waves from mouth to mouth and cover the entire territory.
But back to our topic. What is the reason that gives rise to these beautiful, fast and strong sea waves, whose photos can shock our imagination and even raise fear with one look? She is known even to children: "Wind, wind! You are powerful!". Its impulses hit the water and “bend” its surface. As a result, part of it bends down, and part soars up. At the same time, the excitement is transmitted to other points and captures vast areas. And now we are already observing a horizontal effect, transmitted at a tremendous speed. Waves caused by an earthquake spread very quickly. Moreover, they are observed not only on water, but also on the surface of the earth.
The illusions of our vision affect the perception of the height of the waves on the sea or ocean. Legends of waves a mountain in height turned out to be unproven after scientists measured them in reality. The point here is that during a storm, observers are on the deck of the ship, which, together with the thickness of the water, either drops sharply down, or soars upward on the crest of the wave. With such keel pitching, even low waves seem like huge shafts. This happens because the passenger on deck does not observe them vertically, but diagonally equal to the length of the slope. In the open sea
, wind power is always more powerful. But salt water has a high density and does not allow it to create huge waves. For mariners, this phenomenon is often associated with
natural disaster. But for living creatures inhabiting the water depths, sea waves (both large and small) serve for good. They saturate their habitat with oxygen.