SLO 3: Tides, Waves, and Coasts

Tides

Tides are the back and forth rising and falling of the ocean. It has to do specifically with the relationship of the moon and sun to the Earth.

Waves

Waves occur on the surface of the water as the result of winds blowing over the surface or even gravity. This transfers energy and moves the water in a circle.

Coasts

Coasts are the land that meets the sea, basically as the border between the two. Each coast is unique and ever changing.

-Tides are caused on Earth by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun.

-According to the National Ocean Service, tides are one of the most reliable phenomena in the world. "When the highest part, or crest, of the wave reaches a particular location, high tide occurs; low tide corresponds to the lowest part of the wave, or its trough. The difference in height between the high tide and the low tide is called the tidal range."

-Ocean waters will rise and fall in relation to how the moon and sun are to the Earth.

-There are also different tides besides the high and lows. There is Diurnal, Semi-Diurnal, Mixed, and Meteorological.

-There are also different types of waves. Surface waves are the most common, and are caused by the wind. A storm surge, or a long wave, is caused by high winds and a continued low pressure area. Submarine earthquakes or landslides can displace a large amount of water very quickly, creating a series of very long waves called tsunamis.

-According to Ocean Exploration, "Storm surges and tsunamis do not create a typical crashing wave but rather a massive rise in sea level upon reaching shore, and they can be extremely destructive to coastal environments."

-Coast changes can take hundreds of years, but it depends on the material for how fast the erosion will occur.

-The National Geographical Society states that coasts can be important ecosystems, providing homes for several different marine animals, plants, and insects.

-Coasts are important in helping us understand weather events and sea level change since they are the first places to show signs of flooding.

-"Coastlines with big beaches have more room for waves to spread their energy and deposits. Coastlines with small, narrow beaches have less room for waves to spread out."

How do Tides, Waves, and Coasts Affect Each Other?

According to the article by Penn State University, "Waves and tides can have a profound influence on the morphology and evolution of a coast. In areas with large waves and thus high wave energy, sediments can be extensively reworked by the erosive energy of the waves and widely distributed by the process of longshore transport. In high-energy coastal areas with strong tidal currents, large volumes of sediment can be transported or reworked by the tidal currents to create deposits that are aligned perpendicular to the coastline but parallel to the flow direction of rising and falling tides. In coastal areas that have large tidal ranges or are low gradient, some parts of the shoreline may be exposed for several hours each day before the next rise in tide, and extensive mudflats can develop for very large horizontal distances."

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