Accession Number:

AD0275637

Title:

WAVE REFRACTION AND WAVE ENERGY ON CAYO ARENAS, CAMPECHE BANK

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

TEXAS A AND M UNIV COLLEGE STATION

Personal Author(s):

• WALSH,DONALD E.
• REID,ROBERT O.
• BADER,RICHARD G.

Report Date:

1962-04-01

Pagination or Media Count:

1.0

Abstract:

Wave refraction diagrams are constructed for waves of three different periods coming from various directions as they arrive at each of the three isl nd complexes that make up Cayo Arenas reef in the Gulf of Mexico. From these diagrams, t e wave h ights, Hb, and depths, db, of breakingARE DETERMINED FOR VARIOUS ZONES AROUND THE THREE ISLAND COMPLEXES. Using either oscillatory or solitary wave theory where appropriate, the kinetic energy both outside and immediately within the breaker zone is calcul ted for the various zones making up each of the island complexes. From these kinetic energy summations and the area and perimeter of the breaker zones for each island complex, a quantity herein call d the power of the waves is computed. This quantity is actually a measure of the influx of e ergy into the area per unit time per unit area of the sea floor. Finally a short discussion of the quantities required to determine the probability of occurr nce of a given wind system is included. This information is eeded before any final decision can be made as to which wave system brings the greatest amount of e ergy to bear on the reef over long periods of time. Author

Descriptors:

• *OCEANOGRAPHY
• *REFRACTION
• *WATER WAVES
• *WIND
• ENERGY
• FREQUENCY
• MOTION
• OCEAN CURRENTS
• PARTICLES
• PROBABILITY
• SEDIMENTATION
• TIME
• VELOCITY

Subject Categories:

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE