Water waves

surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water

offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system

A seiche ( ) is a standing wave in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water. Seiches and seiche-related phenomena have been observed on lakes, reservoirs, swimming pools, bays, harbors, caves, and seas. The key requirement for formation of a seiche is that the body of water be at least partially bounded, allowing the formation of the standing wave.

relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves that occur far out at sea

series of waves generated by distant weather systems

wave that becomes unstable as a consequence of excessive steepness

thumb|right|upright=1.3|Diagram of the 1958 Lituya Bay earthquake and megatsunami|1958 Lituya Bay megatsunami, which proved the existence of megatsunamis A megatsunami is an extremely large wave created by a substantial and sudden displacement of material into a body of water.

region of recirculating flow immediately behind a moving or stationary solid body

wave traveling along the phase boundary of a fluid, whose dynamics and phase velocity are dominated by the effects of surface tension

A meteotsunami or meteorological tsunami is a tsunami-like sea wave of meteorological origin. Meteotsunamis are generated when rapid changes in barometric pressure cause the displacement of a body of water. In contrast to impulse-type tsunami sources, a traveling atmospheric disturbance normally interacts with the ocean over a limited period of time (from several minutes to several hours). Tsunamis and meteotsunamis are otherwise similar enough that it can be difficult to distinguish one from the other, as in cases where there is a tsunami wave but there are no records of an earthquake, landsl

wave within a fluid medium, rather than on the surface

mean wave height of the highest third of the waves

number used in fluid mechanics

speed at which the wavelength of a vessel's bow wave is equal to the waterline length

effect by which surface waves entering shallower water change in wave height

sea state

a swimming pool which features artificially generated waves

dimensionless quantity used in fluid dynamics

thumb|right|Incoming wave (red) reflected at the wall produces the outgoing wave (blue), both being overlaid resulting in the clapotis (black).

wave that forms at the bow of a ship when it moves through the water

water waves of different wavelengths travel at different phase speeds

scale to estimate the roughness of the sea for navigation

rogue wave occurring at the Draupner platform in the North Sea on 1 January 1995

set of partial differential equations that describe the flow below a pressure surface in a fluid

dimensionless parameter used to model several effects of breaking surface gravity waves on beaches and coastal structures

subsurface flow of water returning seaward from shore as result of wave action; average under-current which is moving offshore when waves are approaching a shore

Boussinesq approximation for water waves

linearised description of the propagation of gravity waves on the surface of a homogeneous fluid layer

difference between the elevations of a crest and a neighbouring trough

maximum depth at which a water wave's passage causes significant water motion

effect of shallow water on a surface gravity wave

permanent obstruction on the seabed which causes waves to break

phenomenon

ocean wave trapped close to the equator

transfer of energy between large and small scales of motion

term