Decode the mystery of the underground waves

Scientists at the University of Rhode Island have deciphered the secret of subterranean waves as high as 150 meters, causing the "waking ocean" to be observed from satellites.

Oceanographer David Farmer, chairman of the Department of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, along with his student, Qiang Li, studied the development of waves within the water stream, often occurring in tidal waves. created by water flows across underground fields in the Luzon Strait, Philippines.

Here, underground waves occur at a large margin, which can reach a peak of 150 m. Strong waves take a period of 20 to 30 minutes. The operation of this wave can be observed from satellites.

It is the underground waves that create the intensity of surface water and affect the ocean in many ways: stirring the sediments in the bottom layer, adversely affecting offshore engine equipment, affecting the direction Submarine movement and especially underwater transmission. In addition, internal waves can also affect the ecosystem, especially in shallow water.

The graph shows the activity of underground waves between two layers of warm water and cold water

Farmer and Li realized that it was the rotation of the Earth that corrected the waves inside the water flow as they passed through deep pools. The impact mainly on the internal movement of the waves, forming tidal waves, dispersing energy and limiting the steep process.

Farmer and Li used metering and data collection devices invented by scientists at Rhode Island University. From the seabed, devices record the format and size of underground waves passing through it.

The study opens new insights into the mechanism of creating massive and steep underground waves, occurring in the middle of warm water and cold water in coastal areas around the world. Farmer and Li reported their results at the Ocean Science Conference of the American Geophysical Association.