Todays Waves
by Bruce Nutting
Title
Todays Waves
Artist
Bruce Nutting
Medium
Painting - Digital
Description
In linear plane waves of one wavelength in deep water, particles near the surface move not plainly up and down but in vertical circles, forwards above and backwards below. As a result, the surface of the water forms not an exact sine wave, but a curtate cycloid with the sharper curves upwards. As (wave height) / wavelength increases, the wave shape becomes more like a cycloid, and when (wave height) = wavelength / π, the wave shape becomes a cycloid, with the cusps upwards. If something such as wind tries to make the wave any higher at that wavelength, the wave shape tries to become a prolate cycloid, which has a loop at each cusp, and for water molecules to follow its usual vertical circles would need water to go through other water, but it cannot, and some of the wave's energy is used up in throwing up spray, which falls back and makes foam along the wave's crest in a line of foam commonly called a "whitecap" or "white horse". Likewise, in a mixture of waves of various lengths moving in various directions and long waves overtaking short waves, as often seen at sea, the same happens if at any time and place the resulting wave motion "goes prolate" and tries to make water go in a raised loop through other water, causing a patch of spray and foam.
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Uploaded
June 22nd, 2015
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