Antinode: The point on a wave of greatest displacement
Atmospheric Wave: a periodic disturbance in the fields of atmospheric variables (like surface pressure or geopotential height, temperature, or wind velocity) which may either propagate (traveling wave) or not (stationary wave). Atmospheric waves range in spatial and temporal scale from large-scale planetary waves to minute sound waves.
Breaker: A wave that has become so steep that the crest of the wave topples forward, moving faster than the main body of the wave.
Capillary Wave: A wave traveling along a meniscus, whose dynamics are dominated by the effects of surface tension. Capillary waves are common in nature and the home and are often referred to as ripples. The wavelength of capillary waves is typically less than about a centimeter.
Constructive Interference: The strengthening of waves that occurs when two waves interact and in phase portions of each wave combine to create a wave with a higher intensity.
Crest: The top of a wave.
Deep-Water Wave: A wave which is unaffected by interactions with the ocean bottom.
Destructive Interference: Combination of waves where crest parts of one wave overlap trough parts of another; resulting in a wave of decreased amplitude.
Diffraction: The tendency of waves to bend around corners.
Fetch: The distance over water which the wind blows to generate water waves
Forced Wave: A wave generated and maintained by a continuous force.
Free Wave: Any wave not acted upon by any external force except for the initial force that created it; a wave solution satisfying a homogeneous equation of motion and homogeneous boundary conditions. In a system with no impressed forces, a free wave has zero amplitude at the boundaries of the system.
Frequency: The number of waves to pass a point in a unit of time.
Gravity Wave: A wave disturbance in which buoyancy acts as the restoring force on parcels displaced from hydrostatic equilibrium.
Longitudinal Wave: A wave in which the vibration is moving in the same direction as that in which the wave is traveling.
Node: An origination or reception site.
Orbit: The path that an object makes, around another object, whilst under the influence of a source of centripetal force.
Progressive Wind Wave: A wind-generated ocean surface wave. Wind generates both gravity waves and capillary waves.
Rip Current: A strong surface current of short duration flowing seaward from the shore. It usually appears as a visible band of agitated water and is the return movement of water piled up on the shore by incoming waves and wind.
Ripple: A wave on a fluid surface, of sufficiently short wavelength, in which gravity is the dominant influence.
Rogue Wave: A single wave crest that is much higher than normal.
Seiche: A free or standing wave oscillation of the surface of water in an enclosed basin that is initiated by local atmospheric changes, tidal currents, or earthquakes.
Shallow-Water Wave: A wave which is interacting with the ocean bottom or obstructions.
Splash Wave: A type of tsunami. A wave created from various objects.
Standing Wave: Continual waves which remain in one place; usually caused by the dissipation of energy when a fast flowing current reaches a slower pool of water or by obstructions
Surf Zone: Area of water between the high tide level on the beach and the seaward side of breaking waves.
Swell: Wind-generated waves that have traveled out of their source region, usually over a considerable distance. Swell waves exhibit a more regular and longer period with flatter crests than choppy, locally generated wind waves.
Transverse Wave: A wave in which the vibration is moving in a direction perpendicular as that in which the wave is traveling
Trough: The lowest point of a wave.
Tsunami: An ocean wave produced by a sub-marine earthquake, landslide, or volcanic eruption. These waves may reach enormous dimensions and have sufficient energy to travel across entire oceans.
Wave Height (amplitude): The vertical distance between a wave crest and the preceding trough.
Wave Period: The time required for two successive wave crests or troughs to pass a point in space.
Wave Steepness: The ratio of wave height to wave length.
Wave Length: The distance between successive points of equal amplitude and phase on a wave (for example, crest to crest or trough to trough).
