From its insides to its outer atmospheric layers, Earth is in constant motion. Seeking equilibrium is its goal. Perhaps it is a goal shared in many ways by its inhabitants. Many of us seek equilibrium through creative pursuits, religion or meditation, through long hikes in the woods or scaling snow-topped mountains. Others try to find that balance through team sports. While a smaller select few seek that great equilibrium through riding waves.
As surfers, we may want to know a thing or two about the forces that control our ride.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON?
Waves start with our sun—that wonderful beast that heats our little world unevenly. And that is what makes crazy stuff happen.
When two surfaces are heated unequally, they heat the overlying air unequally. The warmer air expands and becomes lighter or less dense than the cooler air. The denser, cool air is drawn to the ground by its greater gravitational force, which in turn propels the warm air in the opposite direction: up.
The rising air cools on its skyward journey, spreads out horizontally at altitude, becomes less dense and then sinks. As it descends, it warms. Then, it spreads out horizontally near the ground, and the process starts all over again. In a nutshell...
the uneven heating of our little planet creates wind, and wind drives waves.
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Wave Dynamics
A quest for Equilibrium