Ocean Processes
Waves along the rocky Wai‘anae coast.
Source: CZM Hawai‘iSince Hawai‘i is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles from the nearest continent, its weather patterns and ocean processes originate from great distances. This can make general weather and currents very predicable and the occasional events powerful and dangerous. The offshore water is free of both nutrients and pollution, making it some of the clearest water in the world.
Water motions occur over a wide range of time and space scales. The largest scales include the basin-wide clockwise current of the North Pacific, and the slow interannual changes of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). At intermediate scales (weeks to months and tens to hundreds of kilometers) are the ocean eddies that often occur on the leeward (or wind-sheltered) sides of islands. The shape of the seafloor determines the size and periods of diurnal tides. Surface waves crashing on and shaping the coast occur at periods of seconds to minutes. Finally, at the smallest scales of centimeters and seconds, is ocean turbulence -- small eddies that eventually mix water properties, much like stirring coffee in a cup.
This section describes the coastal and ocean process that shape the Wai‘anae's shoreline and nearshore waters, including the currents and tides, water column profile, waves and erosion, and water quality.
Related Reference
Flament, P., S. Kennan, R. Lumpkin, M. Sawyer, and E.D. Stroup. 1996. Ocean Atlas of Hawaii. Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii. http://radlab.soest.hawaii.edu/atlas/
