Questions for Voyage 5

Real-time Questions

Instructions: Choose the phrase that best answers each question.

1. Examine Figure 1. The area of the North Pacific Ocean colored red is the area of largest wave heights at the time this image was generated (January 1997). If waves generated in this area travel directly toward us, they will approach our shores from the
(A) southeast
(B) southwest
(C) northwest
(D) northeast

2. Examine Figure 3. On December 3, 1996 (the date of this image), the primary deep-water swell was approaching the coast in southern California from the
(A) southeast
(B) southwest
(C) northwest
(D) northeast

3. Examine Figure 4. On July 25, 1996 (the date of this image), the deep-water swell (that is, the swell with the greatest height) was approaching the coast in southern California from the
(A) southeast
(B) southwest
(C) northwest
(D) northeast

4. Examine Figure 5. On September 13, 1998 (the date of this image), the primary deep-water swell (that is, the swell with the greatest height) was approaching the coast in northern California from the

(A) southeast
(B) southwest
(C) northwest
(D) northeast


5. Examine Figure 5. On September 13, 1998 (the date of this image), the wave height along the coast of northern California was predicted to be SMALLEST
(A) just north of Point Reyes
(B) just south of Point Reyes
(C) along the coast south of San Francisco
(D) in deep water west of the coastline


Lag-time Questions

Instructions: Write short answers for the following questions. Answers will be graded credit / no credit. Results will be available several days after the exercise due date.

1. Go to the FNMOC site with real-time wave data from the North Pacific (link in paragraph after Figure 1 caption). Where in the North Pacific are waves currently being generated? (That is, where are the largest waves?)



2. Examine Figure 3. What is the height of the primary deep water swell? How does the wave height along the coast compare to the swell height in deep water? (Think about what causes these differences.)



3. Examine Figure 4 and compare it to Figure 3. How do wave heights along the coast in Figure 4 compare to wave heights along the coast in Figure 3?



4. In Figure 4, the primary deep water swell height is SMALLER than in Figure 3, yet at many places along the coast the wave height at the coastline is LARGER than in Figure 3. Why might this be?

5. Go to the Scripps real-time web site for northern California (link in paragraph after Figure 5.) What is the deep water swell height and period today, and from which direction is the deep-water swell approaching the coastline?

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