Shimmering Water

Waves

Scientist:
Dr. Gary Boyd
Optics
3M

Date:
October 10th 2009

Location:
Crosby Farms

Shimmering waves.

I wanted to start this conversation with the idea of waves on the surface of water. I have always been captivated by waves, not being able to understand exactly what I am looking at, so I sit transfixed. From a conceptual standpoint waves intrigue me as well. Above the surface is what I know, what I can directly experience. Below the river’s surface I cannot directly experience. I can know this environment rationally, but experientially I cannot. Waves are produced by factors both above the surface (wind, sun, moon) and below (current, depth, rocks) so based on the interaction of the known and unknown I often sit on the shore and stare. Could I learn the mechanics behind this transfixion, and if so what would this accomplish?

Turns out waves on water are incredibly complex. There are two common types of waves, compression (sound) and transverse (the up and down of the sine wave etc.) that I had learned about in the past. It turns out these waves on the surface are a combination. The water molecules rotate hitting each other, all the while they move up and down. This action is transferred all the way to the bottom of the river. There are even certain frequencies that the water can sustain, and waves within waves.

After an elegant explanation of this complexity, we focused on what strikes Gary’s fancy that of the shimmer on the water (he is after all an optics guy rather then a fluid dynamics guy). Since light reflects the same way it strikes a mirror, there was a very specific instant that the wave was in the perfect orientation to reflect the light to our eyes. This light is actually a by-product of vibrating electrons. This is the point were I need to go re-listen to his explanation of the process.

What stuck me was all this talk about vibrating electrons. Light of course is what guides us through the planet. Sure we have other senses, but the human being is primarily a visual animal. This information is derived from the vibration of electrons that are swarming around a nucleus. Furthermore, depending on what kind of energy this electron’s neighbors are interested in the object becomes reflective, or absorbent. Those absorbent guys turn this held energy to heat. Sand gets hot, water stays cool.

I often think I know something, but realize I don’t fully understand it when I try to explain it. Gary states this on our walk and I agreed, here I am in that state.

Need to ponder reflection, how to abstract this into work. There will be another walk soon.