

"The existing models strongly underestimate maximal wave heights," she said. Holliday - whose team includes an expert for computer simulations of sea swells - is convinced her measurements will contribute to an improvement in computer models. "The stronger the wind gets, the weaker and harder to measure the radar signal reflected by the waves," he said. Rosenthal explained that this is partly a result of the weak measurements obtained by means of satellite-based radar. "A single case doesn't render the existing computer simulations obsolete," he said. Nonetheless, questions about the accuracy of computer simulations have been raised for some time with regard to sea swells under extreme weather conditions. When the significant wave height is in the region of 18.5 meters (61 feet), giant waves roughly 30 meters (98 feet) tall become possible - as they did near Rockall in 2000, and as Holliday and her colleagues were able to find out for themselves.īut Rosenthal doubts that the new data will have a significant effect on security standards in shipbuilding. Riding waves that are over 20ft in height and completely unpredictable cause the risk level to skyrocket. Only those waves are considered freak waves whose overall height is at least twice their significant wave height. "The giant 29 meter (95 feet) waves fit well with this statistically," Rosenthal said. He explains that the giant waves observed at Rockall are not the same as the notorious "freak waves" that appear out of nowhere during relatively mild weather, destroying even large vessels.

More frequently, overly-large waves, sometimes three or four times the size of the average wave height you are experiencing, can occur. The significant wave height of 18.5 meters (61 feet) is particularly interesting, according to Rosenthal. A rogue wave hit a cruise ship while it was traveling toward Argentina, killing one passenger and injuring four others, Viking Cruises said on Thursday. Rogue waves conjure images of colossal walls of water, burying ships at sea.

Wissenschaft Menü Wissenschaft aufklappen As if that werent bad enough, Otagos bow begins to fall into a huge wave trough, with a crest bearing down on it that seems to dwarf the ship.The crashing wave is so massive the bridge briefly.Formel 1 – Liveticker, Kalender, WM-Stand.
