In geophysical and oceanographic phenomena, “swell” denotes long-period surface gravity waves that have propagated away from their generation area, typically storms, and become organized wave trains with relatively uniform period and direction. Swell is characterized by longer wavelengths, lower steepness, and more regular profiles than locally generated wind waves, arising from dispersion that filters out shorter, slower components during propagation. These waves can travel thousands of kilometers across ocean basins with limited energy loss, significantly influencing coastal hydrodynamics, wave-driven circulation, sediment transport, and coastal erosion, and are quantitatively described by spectral wave models and directional wave spectra.
For the first time, mighty ocean waves generated in the Southern Ocean have been accurately measured all the way to the tiny ripples they form on the shores of Alaska. Professor Ian Young, from the University of Melbourne's ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 4, 2026
0
10
During recent storms, satellites recorded ocean waves averaging nearly 20 meters high—as tall as the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the largest ever measured from space. Moreover, satellite data now reveal that ocean swells ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 8, 2025
0
1760
Along the coast, waves break with a familiar sound. The gentle swash of the surf on the seashore can lull us to sleep, while the pounding of storm surge warns us to seek shelter.
Earth Sciences
Sep 2, 2025
0
43
Many people use hydrogels without knowing it. As superabsorbents in nappies, for example, hydrogels absorb a lot of liquid. In the process, the initially dry material becomes jelly-like, but it does not wet. Some people place ...
Nanomaterials
Apr 27, 2023
0
108
