The tide is what? What causes hot flashes

The world ocean lives by its own rules, which are harmoniously combined with the laws of the universe. For a long time people have noticed that the water masses are actively moving, but could not understand what these fluctuations in sea level are associated with. Let's find out what the tide is, low tide?

Tides: the riddles of the ocean

The sailors knew very well that tides were a daily occurrence. But the nature of these changes could not be understood by ordinary people or scientists. Even in the fifth century BC philosophers tried to describe and characterize how the World Ocean moves. The tides seemed to be something fantastic and unusual. Even reputable scientists considered the tides to be the breathing of the planet. This version existed for several millennia. Only at the end of the seventeenth century the meaning of the word "tide" was associated with the movement of the moon. But it was not possible to explain this process from a scientific point of view. After hundreds of years, the scientists understood this mystery and gave an accurate definition of the daily change in the water level. The science of oceanology, which appeared in the twentieth century, established that the tide is the raising and lowering of the level of the waters of the World Ocean in connection with the gravitational influence of the Moon.

Are tides everywhere the same?

The influence of the moon on the earth's crust is not the same, so it can not be said that the tides are identical throughout the world. In some parts of the world, daily sea level drops reach sixteen meters. And the inhabitants of the Black Sea coast practically do not notice tides at all, as they are the most insignificant in the world.

Usually the water level changes twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. But in the South China Sea, the tide is a movement of water masses, which occurs only once in twenty-four hours. Most of all sea level differences are noticeable in straits or other narrow places. If you observe it, you can notice with an unaided eye how quickly the water leaves or comes. Sometimes in a few minutes it rises to five meters.

What causes the ebb and flow?

As we have already explained, the sea level change is caused by the impact on the earth's crust of its unchanging Moon companion. But how does this process happen? To understand what a tide is, it is necessary to represent in detail the interaction of all the planets in the solar system.

The Moon and the Earth are in constant dependence on each other. The earth draws its companion, and the one, in turn, tends to draw our planet. This endless rivalry allows you to keep the necessary distance between two space bodies. The moon and the earth move in their orbits, now moving away, then approaching each other.

At the moment when the Moon approaches our planet closer, the earth's crust bends to meet it. This causes the excitement of water on the surface of the earth's crust, it seems as if it wants to rise higher. Removing the Earth satellite causes a decline in the level of the World Ocean.

Tidal interval on Earth

Since the tide is a regular occurrence, it should have its own specific interval of motion. The oceanologists were able to calculate the exact time of the lunar day. This term is commonly called the Moon's turn around our planet, it is slightly longer than the usual for us twenty-four hours. Every day, the ebb and flow are shifted by fifty minutes. This time interval is necessary for the wave to "catch up" with the Moon, moving for earthly day by thirteen degrees.

The influence of ocean tides on rivers

We have already found out what the tide is, but few know about the effect of these oceanic fluctuations on our planet. Surprisingly, even rivers are prone to the influence of ocean tides, and sometimes the result of this intervention is incredibly frightening.

During abundant tides, a wave that enters the mouth of the river meets a stream of fresh water. As a result of mixing of water masses of various densities, a powerful shaft is formed, which starts moving at a great speed against the current of the river. This stream is called boron, and it is capable of destroying practically all life on its way. This phenomenon in a few minutes washed away coastal settlements and blurs the coastline. Bor stops as suddenly as it began.

Scientists recorded cases when a powerful boron turned the river back or completely stopped them. It is not difficult to imagine how disastrous for all inhabitants of the river these phenomenal cases of tidal action have become.

How does the tide affect marine life?

Not surprisingly, tides have a huge impact on all organisms that live in the depths of the ocean. The smallest animals living in the coastal zones are the most difficult. They are forced to constantly adapt to changing the water level. For many of them, tides are a way to change the habitat. During tides, small crustaceans move closer to the shore and find food for themselves, a tidal wave pulls them deeper into the ocean.

Oceanologists have proved that many marine inhabitants are closely related to tidal waves. For example, in some species of whales during the ebb, metabolism slows down. In other deep-sea inhabitants, reproductive activity depends on the height of the wave and its amplitude.

Most scientists believe that the disappearance of such phenomena as fluctuations in the level of the World Ocean, will lead to the extinction of many living beings. After all, in this case they will lose the power source and will not be able to adjust their biological clock to a certain rhythm.

Earth's rotation speed: Is the influence of tides great?

For decades, scientists have been studying everything connected with the term "tide". This is the process that every year brings more and more mysteries. Many experts link the rate of rotation of the Earth with the action of tidal waves. According to this theory, under the influence of tides, sea currents are formed. On their way, they constantly overcome the resistance of the earth's crust. As a result, practically unnoticeably for a person, the speed of rotation of the planet slows down.

Studying sea corals, oceanographers have found out that several billion years ago the earth's day was twenty-two hours. In the future, the rotation of the Earth will slow down even more, and at some point simply equal to the amplitude of the lunar day. In this case, as scientists predict, the ebb and flow will simply disappear.

Human life and the amplitude of oscillations of the World Ocean

It is not surprising that a man is subject to the action of tides. After all, it is 80% of the liquid and can not fail to respond to the influence of the moon. But man would not be the crowning creature of nature, if he had not learned to use with profit practically all natural phenomena.

The energy of the tidal wave is incredibly high, therefore, for many years various projects have been created for the construction of power stations in areas with a large amplitude of water masses. In Russia there are several such power plants. The first was built in the White Sea and was an experimental option. The power of this station did not exceed eight hundred kilowatts. Now this figure seems ridiculous, and new power stations that use the tidal wave produce energy that feeds many cities.

Scientists see exactly in these projects the future of Russian energy, because tidal power plants allow you to take care of nature and cooperate with it.

Tides and ebbs are natural phenomena that have not been studied quite recently. Each new discovery of oceanologists leads to even greater questions in this area. But perhaps someday scientists will be able to unravel all the secrets that every day presents mankind with an ocean tide.