Researchers discovered what causes terrifying underwater waves that can turn into walls of water hundreds of feet tall.
These "internal waves" are concealed within the sea, but can have a significant influence over ocean ecosystems and even the Earth's climate, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology news release reported.
The researchers looked at how the larges-known internal waves found in the South China Sea are spawned. There is very little shape variance between the phenomenon and above-the-water waves. What makes the water in the undersea wave differ from the water surrounding it is its density. The density difference is caused by factors such as temperature and salinity. the waves studied were found in the Luzon Strait.
These waves can "reach towering heights, travel vast distances, and can play a key role in the mixing of ocean waters, helping drive warm surface waters downward and drawing heat from the atmosphere," the news release reported.
In the past these waves have been difficult to detect because they are invisible to the human eye; they require special equipment to be spotted. The team performed laboratory experiments in order to see how these internal waves are produced.
"These are the most powerful internal waves discovered thus far in the ocean," Peacock said in the news release. "These are skyscraper-scale waves."
The waves can reach heights of 550 feet and move at a pace of a few centimeters per second. "They are the lumbering giants of the ocean," Peacock said.
The team studied a "topographic model of the Luzon Strait's seafloor" which was attached to a 50-foot in diameter rotating tank to make their findings. The team concluded the waves originate from the ocean floor's "entire ridge system" as opposed to one specific spot on the ridge.
The researchers believe these waves have an impact on the mixing of the ocean water, which ultimately affects Earth's climate.
"It's an important missing piece of the puzzle in climate modeling," Peacock said. "Right now, global climate models are not able to capture these processes. You get a different answer ... if you don't account for these waves."
The waves are "the key mechanism for transferring heat from the upper ocean to the depths," Peacock said.
Even though these waves only raise ocean levels by about an inch they have been captured in satellite detail for years. These waves can have an influence over marine ecosystems such as reefs by bringing nutrients up from the ocean floor.
"The strong forcing and ridge geometry at Luzon Strait result in some of the strongest internal waves in the world's oceans. They are important for a variety of reasons, including the region's biology, the mixing and turbulence they produce, and marine navigation in the region." Matthew Alford, an associate professor of oceanography at the University of Washington said."[This team's research contributed to a massive advance in our understanding of how these waves get generated and dissipated."
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(NOT SAME REGION AS DISCUSSED IN STUDY)
