Sea Waves

Definition: In simple words sea waves are undulation of seawater characterized by well developed crests
ands and troughs. Sea waves are defined as “Waves are moving energy travelling along the interface
between ocean and atmosphere, often transferring energy from a storm far out at sea over distances of
several thousand kilometres”.

The undulation of sea water at the place of their origin are called as swells which are low, broad, regular
rounded ridges and troughs of water. In other words, regular patter of smooth and rounded waves that
characterize the surface of the ocean during fair weather is called swell.

The height of wind generated sea waves depends on 1. Wind speed, 2. The duration of the wind from one
direction, 3. And the fetch which represents the length of water surface over which the wind blows
Components of Sea Waves:

Sea Waves are characterized by the following components

Wave Crest: The highest part of a wave.
Wave Trough: The lowest part of a wave.
Wave Height: The vertical distance between the wave trough and the wave crest.
Wave Length: The distance between two consecutive wave crests or between two consecutive wave
troughs.
Wave Frequency: The number of waves passing a fixed point in a specified period of time.
Wave Period: The time it takes for two successive crests (one wavelength) to pass a specified point. The
wave period is often referenced in seconds, e.g. one wave every 6 seconds.
Fetch: The uninterrupted area or distance over which the wind blows (in the same direction). The greater
the fetch, the greater the wave height.
Types of Ocean Waves
Sea waves are classified into two types on the basis of depth of oceanic water: 1. oscillatory waves and 2.
translatory waves.
1. Waves in deep water are called as oscillatory waves. In oscillatory waves water particle move in
circular orbit and they return very nearly to their original position after the passage of the waves
2. Waves of shallow water as called as translatory waves. In translatory waves water particle move
forward approximately at the same velocity as the wave form.
From geomorphological point of view sea waves are divided into two major parts: [Link] waves
and 2. destructive waves:
Constructive waves: Long frequency waves approaching shore and beach are constructive in character
because they lose volume and energy rapidly while moving up the beach because water percolate in
shingles and other beach materials and thus the backwash is weakened. Thus low frequency waves help in
building of beaches.
Destructive waves: on the other hand low frequency waves with low with short wave length and high
wave frequency occurring on a more sloping shore are destructive in character because instead of spilling
they plunge and generate a powerful backwash which combs down the beach material (removes the beach
material and transport them towards the sea).
Wave refraction results in the formation of littoral or longshore currents which move parallel to the sea
coast.
Factors for the Formation of Sea Waves:
Sea Waves may be generated due to large number of factors such as:
 Atmospheric Circulation and Winds
 Movement of fluids of two contrasting densities (air and sea water) along the interfaces along
interface of two masses of fluids of varying densities.
 Movement of water masses of varying densities such as turbidity currents.
 Mass movement into the ocean such as landslides in coastal areas.
 Techtronic activities on the sea floor such as faulting, thrusting etc.
 Occurrence of undersea earthquakes, known as tsunamigenic quakes.
 Undersea volcanic eruption
 Anthropogenic activities such as plying of large commercial ships, undersea nuclear tests and
explosions etc.
Waves are created by energy passing through water, causing it to move in a circular motion. However,
water does not actually travel in waves. Waves transmit energy, not water, across the ocean and if not
obstructed by anything, they have the potential to travel across an entire ocean basin. Waves are most
commonly caused by wind. Wind-driven waves, or surface waves, are created by the friction between
wind and surface water. As wind blows across the surface of the ocean or a lake, the continual disturbance
creates a wave crest. These types of waves are found globally across the open ocean and along the coast.
More potentially hazardous waves can be caused by severe weather, like a hurricane. The strong winds
and pressure from this type of severe storm causes storm surge, a series of long waves that are created far
from shore in deeper water and intensify as they move closer to land. Other hazardous waves can be
caused by underwater disturbances that displace large amounts of water quickly such as earthquakes,
landslides, or volcanic eruptions. These very long waves are called tsunamis. Storm surge and tsunamis
are not the types of waves you imagine crashing down on the shore. These waves roll upon the shore like
a massive sea level rise and can reach far distances inland.

Erosional Work of Sea Waves

Marine agent of erosion operates as corrasion, attrition, hydraulic action & solution to transform the
coastal landscape

Corrasion: Waves armed with rock debris of all sizes & shapes charge against the base of the cliffs, &
wear them back by corrasion. On-coming currents & tides complete the work by sweeping the eroded
material into the sea
Attrition: The constantly moving waves that transport beach materials such as boulders, pebbles, shingle
& fine sand, also hurl these materials against each other until they are broken down into very small pieces.
The grinding & polishing of such fragmented materials against the cliff faces & against each other is
largely responsible for the fine sand which forms the beaches
Hydraulic action: In their forward surge, waves splashing against the coast may enter joints & crevices
in the rocks. The air imprisoned inside is immediately compressed but when the waves retreat, the
compress air expands with explosive violence. Such action repeated again & again soon enlarges the
cracks & rock fragments are prised apart
Solution: On limestone coasts, the solvent action of the sea water on calcium carbonate sets up chemical
changes in the rocks & disintegration takes place
EROSIONAL LANDFORMS CREATED BY SEA WAVES
Waves, like streams erode the coastal rocks with the help of rock fragments present in the water.
Important features made through sea wave erosion are mentioned here:
1. Sea cliff: A sea cliff is a steep coastal slope created by the erosive power of waves at its base. In other
words, cliffs are vertical or near-vertical walls of rock along a coast.
3. Sea Cave: Sea cave is a natural cavity or chamber which develops along the coast due to gradual
erosion of rock. Sea caves are more frequently formed in lime stone and chalk rocks as they are enrobed
more by solution process. Sea caves are, however, not permanent features as they are destroyed in due
course of time.
When the sea caves are enlarged to such an extent that their roofs become remarkably thin, they
ultimately collapse and fall and the debris ultimately removed by powerful backwash and thus long
narrow inlet are called ‘geo’ in Scotland.
Sometimes, the air in the cave is compressed by uprushing powerful storm waves and finding no other
route to escape it beaks open the roof of the cave and appears with great force making unique whistling.
Such holes are called natural chimneys or blow holes or gloup.
3. Arch: When two caves approach one another from either side of a headland and unite, they form an
arch, e.g. the Neddie Eye near Wick, Scotland.
Further erosion by waves will ultimately lead to the total collapse of the arch. The seaward portion of the
headland will remain as a pillar of rock known as a stack.
4. Sea stacks are nothing but the isolated standing rocks in the sea which were once a part of the cliff.
These stacks look will like small islands in the sea.
5. Stumps: Small underwater stacks are known as stumps.
Coves: The elliptical hollows formed in the coastal area alternated by hard and weak rocks are called
coves and mini-bays.
DEPOSITIONAL LANDFORMS CREATED BY SEA WAVES

1. Beach:
This is the temporary veneer of rock debris on or along a wave-cut platform. It is by the sea waves that the
deposition of rock flour is carried out.
Beach, this is accumulation of sand, shingles and pebbles at the coast. It is caused by deposition process
of the wave when the swash is stronger than backwash.
Beaches are areas of sand, pebbles and shingle that are formed by deposition produced by wave
processes. Beaches are by no means uniform and contain a huge variety of sediment types and sizes, and
have many different shapes.
Gently sloping beaches are formed by strong destructive waves that backwash more material away from
the beach that they swash up the beach.
Steeply sloping beaches occur by constructive waves that swash more material up the beach than they
backwash away, building up a steep beach gradient.

2. Bar is an elongated deposit of sand, shingle or mud, occurring in the sea, more or less parallel to the
shore line and sometimes linked to it. They act as a barrier between the mainland and the sea. Or Bar, this
is the ridge of materials usually the sand, which lies parallel or almost parallel to the coast. Unlike the spit
the bar is not attached to the mainland.
3. Barrier bars: ridges of sand up to a km wide and 100 m high that lie parallel to about 13% of the
world's coasts
4. SPIT: A Spit is a long, narrow ridge of deposited materials that extends from the mainland into the sea.
Or Spit: When one end of such bar is attached to the coast and other extends into the sea, it is called as a
spit.
5. Tombolo: Tombolo, this is the spit that connects mainland to the island. Or Tombolo is a depositional
landform in which an island is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land such as a spit or bar.
6. Lagoon: Sometimes due to deposition of waves and currents, both ends of the bar join to enclose a part
of sea water between the coast and the bar. This enclosed part of the sea forms a lake of saline water
called as Lagoon. A lagoon is generally connected with the sea through a narrow passage. Chilika and
Pulicat lakes are examples of Lagoon Lake.