jimmytavino 16 #1 January 3, 2005 I understand the concept of these vicious waves.....Great,, yet deceptive speed,, Long wavelength,, and so a VERY VERY huge height.. when they reach a coastline or shallow tidal basin.... I also realize the power of water,, when it is in motion...especially at the oceanic level... What I am not sure about,, is,,,, Do these waves HIT as a"One time" blast,,,, ( as the result of the one time earthquake).. or do they follow in a series of deadly waves?? one after another...?? Does the ocean sweep IN,, then sweep OUT again??? ( it seems it Must) "sloshing around"in the coastal bays and lagoons,,, continuously pummeling the beaten landscape...????.. or does it HIT,,, then recede and "dissolve"?? How sad.... Mother nature.... She can often be Brutal... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #2 January 3, 2005 i think it depends on the cause. an earthquake would trigger a series of waves (depending on the nature of the quake) but a meteor impact would cause a big one. btw, a meteor impact on earth would cause more destruction if it hits an ocean than if it hits land (although over 1 km in diamater would kill us all from the global effects anyway). O "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #3 January 3, 2005 My guess.... drop a pebble into a pond (a one time hit like the initial quake) what do you see? a main wave front and many riples behind ... would probably be like that... wodya think? (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #4 January 3, 2005 My highly amateur studies and readings suggest that tsunamis typically consist of a series of waves. Which makes sense. If an earthquake shakes for 2 minutes, you can expect to have a series of waves. They typically come in intervals of 5-15 minutes. Often, it is the second or third that is the largest. It also seems that the ocean "sweeps in." I get the impression that a tsunami is better described as a sudden and rapid rise in sea level that recedes, returns, recedes, and returns a few times. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,473 #5 January 3, 2005 They generally present as a critically-damped impulse. In other words, they have a period, and the initial wave is often smaller than the waves in the center of the sinusoid. See picture below for an example of this. Sometimes the pulse-train duration is small, and you see a tiny wave, a big pullback, a big wave, a lesser pullback, and that's it. Other times you'll see several waves, where the 'central' wave is the biggest. In other cases, when there's more than one seismic event, you can see several pulse trains superimposed; the best case there is that you get some partial cancellation. Other info - The period (time between waves) can range from 5 minutes to 2 hours. They are most destructive when they arrive at high tide for obvious reasons. See here for data from a small 2003 tsunami; you can see both how the waves are impressed upon the tides and how they present as a damped impulse. This one 'rings' for a particularly long time; at least 9 waves over 8 hours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #6 January 3, 2005 QuoteMy highly amateur studies and readings suggest that tsunamis typically consist of a series of waves. Which makes sense. If an earthquake shakes for 2 minutes, you can expect to have a series of waves. They typically come in intervals of 5-15 minutes. Often, it is the second or third that is the largest _______________________________________________ ...I think you mean 5 - 15 second intervals within a 2 minute "quake" not minutes right? that makes sense lawrocket... and billvons chart and mention of terms like pulse and period of the wave...help to explain it.. During work today I got to thinking of my own question and it dawned on me that the Quake which did this,,, and did this at a Level 9 plus ....could have had a number of "heaves", from its' start to finish... Have there been any on -site witnesses, who can verify multiple wave hits at the same locations ?? Surely some of the higher areas inland from the waves may have allowed for safe viewing of the beach and surf... .... Of Course,,, higher priorities ( like moving to even further safety ) may have been the order of business. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PhillyKev 0 #7 January 3, 2005 The little bit I read about them did in fact suggest that you could have several and they could be 15 minutes apart. I would imagine that the distance between the waves would increase as they travel. Like ripples from a pebble thrown in a pond getting bigger and more spread out away from the center where they are smaller and more concentrated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimmytavino 16 #8 January 3, 2005 ... Ah yes yes... the waves at the point of destruction would likely be spaced many many minutes apart.. My misinterpretation,, (by "waves" i was thinking earthquake pulses),, But now I see he means water waves,,, hitting on the distant shores... Yes the short duration pulses at the quake site would likely convert to longer times when the waves reach their end.... thanks phillykev Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Tf15 0 #9 January 3, 2005 www.prh.noaa.gov/itic/library/pubs/newsletters/nl_pdf/2001_Sept.pdf NOAA data for the 2001 Peru event indicate many waves, with the largest not necessarily being the first. Three times is enemy action Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mikkey 0 #10 January 3, 2005 Something I noted when listening to eye witness reports is that the tsunami was not so much described as your typical large wave (like surf waves), but more like an enormous powerful and quick high tide.--------------------------------------------------------- When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites billvon 2,473 #11 January 3, 2005 >but more like an enormous powerful and quick high tide. Yes, a high tide that can last many minutes. It's one reason they're so destructive - it's as if the sea level rose 20 feet for five minutes. A breakwater/seawall will not protect the shore from such an event. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites n23x 0 #12 January 3, 2005 +10 points to billvon for using Matlab. On a more serious note, yes, eyewitness accounts describe multiple waves. .jim"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites storm1977 0 #13 January 4, 2005 Quote>but more like an enormous powerful and quick high tide. Yes, a high tide that can last many minutes. It's one reason they're so destructive - it's as if the sea level rose 20 feet for five minutes. A breakwater/seawall will not protect the shore from such an event. Bill you are right.... Many people tend to think it is the beginning of Hawaii 5-0 with this huge wave... Not usually the case, however, that can happen. Cases with a huge wave a typical only when the geography allows. Let's pretend there was a very large deep bay or inlet exposed to the area of the wave. As the sea-level rise entered the "V" shaped bay the water would be pinched off into a smaller and smaller area. Since the Bay is deep, the break of the wave would not occur until the shore line when the bottom of the roll contacted the bottom of the sea floor. This is quite rare, however, it does happen. In most cases "Tidal Wave" as they are called more resemble a very fast moving HUGE tidal surge many feet above normal. The other word Tsunami means "Harbor wave" which is self explanitory.... Typically you do not see "Waves" in a harbor. Chris ----------------------------------------------------- Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #14 January 4, 2005 Quote I understand the concept of these vicious waves.....Great,, yet deceptive speed,, Long wavelength,, and so a VERY VERY huge height.. when they reach a coastline or shallow tidal basin.... I also realize the power of water,, when it is in motion...especially at the oceanic level... What I am not sure about,, is,,,, Do these waves HIT as a"One time" blast,,,, ( as the result of the one time earthquake).. or do they follow in a series of deadly waves?? one after another...?? Does the ocean sweep IN,, then sweep OUT again??? ( it seems it Must) "sloshing around"in the coastal bays and lagoons,,, continuously pummeling the beaten landscape...????.. or does it HIT,,, then recede and "dissolve"?? How sad.... Mother nature.... She can often be Brutal... Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. We've seen video of the attenuated peak amplitude wave in other places (that was preceeded by a smaller waves and immediately before by a receeding tide) and we've seen the devastation, missing bridges, destroyed buildings scoured land and missing solid congrete harbor walls, missing landmass and the thorougly scoured remains in places. A big frikin wave like you imagine from your nightmares seems to be about right for some places, maybe with some persistence. As waves hit shallower water they tend to form steeper fronts, it's just how fluid dynamics works, so if the seabed was sloping that's what you'd tend to get. Mind you even if it wound up looking deceptively like a rapid tide, as the water broached the land you would get incredibly rapid currents as water rushed onto land with the wave. What starts out as a nice large shallow wave out in the ocean can turn into a wall of water preceeded by a receeding tide depending on the shape of the seabed. Just watch the surf at Mavericks on a big day for a picture. What someone sees even for the same event at roughly the same distance and approximate location from the quake could depend a lot on the seabed at their location. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites storm1977 0 #15 January 4, 2005 QuoteQuote I understand the concept of these vicious waves.....Great,, yet deceptive speed,, Long wavelength,, and so a VERY VERY huge height.. when they reach a coastline or shallow tidal basin.... I also realize the power of water,, when it is in motion...especially at the oceanic level... What I am not sure about,, is,,,, Do these waves HIT as a"One time" blast,,,, ( as the result of the one time earthquake).. or do they follow in a series of deadly waves?? one after another...?? Does the ocean sweep IN,, then sweep OUT again??? ( it seems it Must) "sloshing around"in the coastal bays and lagoons,,, continuously pummeling the beaten landscape...????.. or does it HIT,,, then recede and "dissolve"?? How sad.... Mother nature.... She can often be Brutal... Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. We've seen video of the attenuated peak amplitude wave in other places (that was preceeded by a smaller waves and immediately before by a receeding tide) and we've seen the devastation, missing bridges, destroyed buildings scoured land and missing solid congrete harbor walls, missing landmass and the thorougly scoured remains in places. A big frikin wave like you imagine from your nightmares seems to be about right for some places, maybe with some persistence. As waves hit shallower water they tend to form steeper fronts, it's just how fluid dynamics works, so if the seabed was sloping that's what you'd tend to get. Mind you even if it wound up looking deceptively like a rapid tide, as the water broached the land you would get incredibly rapid currents as water rushed onto land with the wave. What starts out as a nice large shallow wave out in the ocean can turn into a wall of water preceeded by a receeding tide depending on the shape of the seabed. Just watch the surf at Mavericks on a big day for a picture. What someone sees even for the same event at roughly the same distance and approximate location from the quake could depend a lot on the seabed at their location. Again...yes that can happen, but in most areas and most times that is not the case. If the geography of the land and bay is just right, a huge "Wave" could be formed. ----------------------------------------------------- Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites billvon 2,473 #16 January 4, 2005 >Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was >a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. The term tidal wave came from a confusion between waves and tidal bores. In some places (like the Bay of Fundy) the combination of tide and river current can produce a tidal bore, or a "wave" that can be several feet high that sweeps up the bay and is concentrated by the shape of the bay. It's attractive to surfers and kayakers because it can go on for miles. It's not just a wave though, it's the leading edge of the tide, so there's a lot of water behind it. In that way it's similar to a tsunami, so the two get confused sometimes. Ocean wave - lasts a few seconds Tsunami - can last 15 minutes Tidal bore - lasts 6 hours Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #17 January 4, 2005 Quote Again...yes that can happen, but in most areas and most times that is not the case. If the geography of the land and bay is just right, a huge "Wave" could be formed. You say bay again, it doesn't necessarily take a bay of enclosed area for this. Just the slope of the seabed can cause this effect. We're not talking about surfing sweetspots and typical ocean swell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #18 January 4, 2005 Quote>Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was >a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. The term tidal wave came from a confusion between waves and tidal bores. In some places (like the Bay of Fundy) the combination of tide and river current can produce a tidal bore, or a "wave" that can be several feet high that sweeps up the bay and is concentrated by the shape of the bay. It's attractive to surfers and kayakers because it can go on for miles. It's not just a wave though, it's the leading edge of the tide, so there's a lot of water behind it. In that way it's similar to a tsunami, so the two get confused sometimes. Ocean wave - lasts a few seconds Tsunami - can last 15 minutes Tidal bore - lasts 6 hours Interesting, explanation of the etymology of the word, but it's still use long after the true causes are understood. Maybe it's a British thing, the phrase tidal wave is still the predominant label for these waves, or was when I left, in fact when I reflect on it I think the first encounter with the word Tsunami was after I moved to the U.S. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites storm1977 0 #19 January 4, 2005 I would say in the US the term Tidal wave is still the most common term. In the Pacific rim they are called Tsunami. We call Hurricanes hurricanes, but in the Pacific they call them Typhoons... In England maybe something different. A puma is a mountain lion is a cougar... Different names for the same thing. PS- yes, the under water structure could cause a giant wave... All I was saying is that typically those Giant waves form when there is a DEEP bay or harbor. (Not always)Therefore the water piles horizontally due to pinching and also doesn't crash early due to the depth of the shelf. ----------------------------------------------------- Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SpeedRacer 1 #20 January 5, 2005 "tidal wave" is a misnomer, because the phenomenon has nothing to do with the forces that cause tides. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #21 January 5, 2005 Quote"tidal wave" is a misnomer, because the phenomenon has nothing to do with the forces that cause tides. That's understood, even by people who use it. It is perfectly correct English though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PhillyKev 0 #22 January 5, 2005 Good point. I just found out you're not actually supposed to put sand in a sandwhich. They're much tastier now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #23 January 5, 2005 QuoteGood point. I just found out you're not actually supposed to put sand in a sandwhich. They're much tastier now. LOL Named after the Earl of Sandwich, nothing to do with beaches or witchcraft. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dorbie 0 #24 January 7, 2005 I just saw a new video of the Tsunami hitting another beach in Thailand and it gave a different perspective on things. It reminded me of a flash flood, but hitting a massive portion of one beach. There was a wave front viewed from an hotel balcoy and at first it looked like the waves you've seen in other videos, then it zoomed in on the beach and there's this guy in a swimsuit standing there and he's TINY and it hits you how big the approaching wave is. The front on this thing was just a wall of froth and the guy just stands there looking at the wave, he either knows he's toast or he's in shock then it just engulfs him in an instant and the water just keeps coming like a river and getting deeper, and when I say like a river it's like class 4 rapids, it's roiling. The video ends with a shot of the water almost as if it's reached equilibrium or is maybe starting to flow back and there are massive eddies in it, and they're moving with the power of rip tides in all directions. The power and scale seems unimaginable it just looks deadly even when the wave front has passed, I've never seen water look like that on that scale. Just chilling. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jcd11235 0 #25 January 7, 2005 Quite the illustrative description, I must say. Too bad the picture sucks. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials! 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PhillyKev 0 #7 January 3, 2005 The little bit I read about them did in fact suggest that you could have several and they could be 15 minutes apart. I would imagine that the distance between the waves would increase as they travel. Like ripples from a pebble thrown in a pond getting bigger and more spread out away from the center where they are smaller and more concentrated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #8 January 3, 2005 ... Ah yes yes... the waves at the point of destruction would likely be spaced many many minutes apart.. My misinterpretation,, (by "waves" i was thinking earthquake pulses),, But now I see he means water waves,,, hitting on the distant shores... Yes the short duration pulses at the quake site would likely convert to longer times when the waves reach their end.... thanks phillykev Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tf15 0 #9 January 3, 2005 www.prh.noaa.gov/itic/library/pubs/newsletters/nl_pdf/2001_Sept.pdf NOAA data for the 2001 Peru event indicate many waves, with the largest not necessarily being the first. Three times is enemy action Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikkey 0 #10 January 3, 2005 Something I noted when listening to eye witness reports is that the tsunami was not so much described as your typical large wave (like surf waves), but more like an enormous powerful and quick high tide.--------------------------------------------------------- When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,473 #11 January 3, 2005 >but more like an enormous powerful and quick high tide. Yes, a high tide that can last many minutes. It's one reason they're so destructive - it's as if the sea level rose 20 feet for five minutes. A breakwater/seawall will not protect the shore from such an event. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
n23x 0 #12 January 3, 2005 +10 points to billvon for using Matlab. On a more serious note, yes, eyewitness accounts describe multiple waves. .jim"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
storm1977 0 #13 January 4, 2005 Quote>but more like an enormous powerful and quick high tide. Yes, a high tide that can last many minutes. It's one reason they're so destructive - it's as if the sea level rose 20 feet for five minutes. A breakwater/seawall will not protect the shore from such an event. Bill you are right.... Many people tend to think it is the beginning of Hawaii 5-0 with this huge wave... Not usually the case, however, that can happen. Cases with a huge wave a typical only when the geography allows. Let's pretend there was a very large deep bay or inlet exposed to the area of the wave. As the sea-level rise entered the "V" shaped bay the water would be pinched off into a smaller and smaller area. Since the Bay is deep, the break of the wave would not occur until the shore line when the bottom of the roll contacted the bottom of the sea floor. This is quite rare, however, it does happen. In most cases "Tidal Wave" as they are called more resemble a very fast moving HUGE tidal surge many feet above normal. The other word Tsunami means "Harbor wave" which is self explanitory.... Typically you do not see "Waves" in a harbor. Chris ----------------------------------------------------- Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #14 January 4, 2005 Quote I understand the concept of these vicious waves.....Great,, yet deceptive speed,, Long wavelength,, and so a VERY VERY huge height.. when they reach a coastline or shallow tidal basin.... I also realize the power of water,, when it is in motion...especially at the oceanic level... What I am not sure about,, is,,,, Do these waves HIT as a"One time" blast,,,, ( as the result of the one time earthquake).. or do they follow in a series of deadly waves?? one after another...?? Does the ocean sweep IN,, then sweep OUT again??? ( it seems it Must) "sloshing around"in the coastal bays and lagoons,,, continuously pummeling the beaten landscape...????.. or does it HIT,,, then recede and "dissolve"?? How sad.... Mother nature.... She can often be Brutal... Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. We've seen video of the attenuated peak amplitude wave in other places (that was preceeded by a smaller waves and immediately before by a receeding tide) and we've seen the devastation, missing bridges, destroyed buildings scoured land and missing solid congrete harbor walls, missing landmass and the thorougly scoured remains in places. A big frikin wave like you imagine from your nightmares seems to be about right for some places, maybe with some persistence. As waves hit shallower water they tend to form steeper fronts, it's just how fluid dynamics works, so if the seabed was sloping that's what you'd tend to get. Mind you even if it wound up looking deceptively like a rapid tide, as the water broached the land you would get incredibly rapid currents as water rushed onto land with the wave. What starts out as a nice large shallow wave out in the ocean can turn into a wall of water preceeded by a receeding tide depending on the shape of the seabed. Just watch the surf at Mavericks on a big day for a picture. What someone sees even for the same event at roughly the same distance and approximate location from the quake could depend a lot on the seabed at their location. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
storm1977 0 #15 January 4, 2005 QuoteQuote I understand the concept of these vicious waves.....Great,, yet deceptive speed,, Long wavelength,, and so a VERY VERY huge height.. when they reach a coastline or shallow tidal basin.... I also realize the power of water,, when it is in motion...especially at the oceanic level... What I am not sure about,, is,,,, Do these waves HIT as a"One time" blast,,,, ( as the result of the one time earthquake).. or do they follow in a series of deadly waves?? one after another...?? Does the ocean sweep IN,, then sweep OUT again??? ( it seems it Must) "sloshing around"in the coastal bays and lagoons,,, continuously pummeling the beaten landscape...????.. or does it HIT,,, then recede and "dissolve"?? How sad.... Mother nature.... She can often be Brutal... Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. We've seen video of the attenuated peak amplitude wave in other places (that was preceeded by a smaller waves and immediately before by a receeding tide) and we've seen the devastation, missing bridges, destroyed buildings scoured land and missing solid congrete harbor walls, missing landmass and the thorougly scoured remains in places. A big frikin wave like you imagine from your nightmares seems to be about right for some places, maybe with some persistence. As waves hit shallower water they tend to form steeper fronts, it's just how fluid dynamics works, so if the seabed was sloping that's what you'd tend to get. Mind you even if it wound up looking deceptively like a rapid tide, as the water broached the land you would get incredibly rapid currents as water rushed onto land with the wave. What starts out as a nice large shallow wave out in the ocean can turn into a wall of water preceeded by a receeding tide depending on the shape of the seabed. Just watch the surf at Mavericks on a big day for a picture. What someone sees even for the same event at roughly the same distance and approximate location from the quake could depend a lot on the seabed at their location. Again...yes that can happen, but in most areas and most times that is not the case. If the geography of the land and bay is just right, a huge "Wave" could be formed. ----------------------------------------------------- Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,473 #16 January 4, 2005 >Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was >a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. The term tidal wave came from a confusion between waves and tidal bores. In some places (like the Bay of Fundy) the combination of tide and river current can produce a tidal bore, or a "wave" that can be several feet high that sweeps up the bay and is concentrated by the shape of the bay. It's attractive to surfers and kayakers because it can go on for miles. It's not just a wave though, it's the leading edge of the tide, so there's a lot of water behind it. In that way it's similar to a tsunami, so the two get confused sometimes. Ocean wave - lasts a few seconds Tsunami - can last 15 minutes Tidal bore - lasts 6 hours Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #17 January 4, 2005 Quote Again...yes that can happen, but in most areas and most times that is not the case. If the geography of the land and bay is just right, a huge "Wave" could be formed. You say bay again, it doesn't necessarily take a bay of enclosed area for this. Just the slope of the seabed can cause this effect. We're not talking about surfing sweetspots and typical ocean swell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #18 January 4, 2005 Quote>Interesting that they used to call these things tidal waves when I was >a kid, I never heard the word Tsunami back then. The term tidal wave came from a confusion between waves and tidal bores. In some places (like the Bay of Fundy) the combination of tide and river current can produce a tidal bore, or a "wave" that can be several feet high that sweeps up the bay and is concentrated by the shape of the bay. It's attractive to surfers and kayakers because it can go on for miles. It's not just a wave though, it's the leading edge of the tide, so there's a lot of water behind it. In that way it's similar to a tsunami, so the two get confused sometimes. Ocean wave - lasts a few seconds Tsunami - can last 15 minutes Tidal bore - lasts 6 hours Interesting, explanation of the etymology of the word, but it's still use long after the true causes are understood. Maybe it's a British thing, the phrase tidal wave is still the predominant label for these waves, or was when I left, in fact when I reflect on it I think the first encounter with the word Tsunami was after I moved to the U.S. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
storm1977 0 #19 January 4, 2005 I would say in the US the term Tidal wave is still the most common term. In the Pacific rim they are called Tsunami. We call Hurricanes hurricanes, but in the Pacific they call them Typhoons... In England maybe something different. A puma is a mountain lion is a cougar... Different names for the same thing. PS- yes, the under water structure could cause a giant wave... All I was saying is that typically those Giant waves form when there is a DEEP bay or harbor. (Not always)Therefore the water piles horizontally due to pinching and also doesn't crash early due to the depth of the shelf. ----------------------------------------------------- Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #20 January 5, 2005 "tidal wave" is a misnomer, because the phenomenon has nothing to do with the forces that cause tides. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #21 January 5, 2005 Quote"tidal wave" is a misnomer, because the phenomenon has nothing to do with the forces that cause tides. That's understood, even by people who use it. It is perfectly correct English though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #22 January 5, 2005 Good point. I just found out you're not actually supposed to put sand in a sandwhich. They're much tastier now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #23 January 5, 2005 QuoteGood point. I just found out you're not actually supposed to put sand in a sandwhich. They're much tastier now. LOL Named after the Earl of Sandwich, nothing to do with beaches or witchcraft. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dorbie 0 #24 January 7, 2005 I just saw a new video of the Tsunami hitting another beach in Thailand and it gave a different perspective on things. It reminded me of a flash flood, but hitting a massive portion of one beach. There was a wave front viewed from an hotel balcoy and at first it looked like the waves you've seen in other videos, then it zoomed in on the beach and there's this guy in a swimsuit standing there and he's TINY and it hits you how big the approaching wave is. The front on this thing was just a wall of froth and the guy just stands there looking at the wave, he either knows he's toast or he's in shock then it just engulfs him in an instant and the water just keeps coming like a river and getting deeper, and when I say like a river it's like class 4 rapids, it's roiling. The video ends with a shot of the water almost as if it's reached equilibrium or is maybe starting to flow back and there are massive eddies in it, and they're moving with the power of rip tides in all directions. The power and scale seems unimaginable it just looks deadly even when the wave front has passed, I've never seen water look like that on that scale. Just chilling. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcd11235 0 #25 January 7, 2005 Quite the illustrative description, I must say. Too bad the picture sucks. Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
