Hullámtörés

Hullámtörés, also known as wave breaking, is a phenomenon that occurs when a wave becomes unstable and its crest collapses. This typically happens as a wave approaches shallow water, such as a coastline. The primary cause is the interaction between the wave's motion and the decreasing depth of the water.

As a wave travels into shallower water, its wavelength shortens and its height increases, a process called shoaling. The base of the wave slows down due to friction with the seabed, while the crest continues to move faster. This difference in speed creates a steepening effect on the front of the wave. Eventually, the wave's form becomes too steep to be sustained by the water depth. The energy that was stored in the wave's potential and kinetic energy is then dissipated as turbulence and sound.

The point at which a wave breaks is determined by several factors, including the wave's initial height, the slope of the seabed, and the presence of currents. Different types of breaking waves exist, such as spilling breakers, plunging breakers, and surging breakers, each characterized by how the crest collapses. Understanding hullámtörés is important in fields like coastal engineering, surfing, and marine biology, as it influences sediment transport, coastal erosion, and the distribution of marine life.