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Fiche 1,  Justifications,  Anglais

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Waves are formed due to the friction of the wind over the water surface. The three main components for wave generation are the wind speed, it's duration and fetch. ... How to recognise a swell/wave generating area. On a weather chart there are high and low pressure systems. They are separated by isobars (lines joining places of equal pressure). Buys Ballot's law states: "If you stand with your back to the wind in the northern hemisphere, the low pressure will be on your left." From this you can deduce the wind flows anticlockwise around a low pressure system and almost parallel to the isobars. The wind near the surface actually flows at an angle of about 15 degrees to the isobars pointing in to the low. The reason for this is that friction with the surface slows the air down and it is this friction which causes waves to form. Assuming you have identified an area of closely packed isobars which are almost straight for 200 miles and the low system is not changing to quickly, you have found a good swell generating area.  3, fiche 1, Anglais, - wave%20generation%20area

Record number: 1, Textual support number: 2 CONT

Wave generation area described in terms of fetch length ...  4, fiche 1, Anglais, - wave%20generation%20area

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fetch length: The horizontal distance (in the direction of the wind) over which a wind generates seas.  5, fiche 1, Anglais, - wave%20generation%20area

Fiche 1,  Justifications,  Français

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Zone de l'océan sur laquelle les vents, soufflant dans la même direction pendant un temps plus ou moins long avec une force constante, engendrent une mer du vent dont les vagues sortent de l'aire et forment la houle.  2, fiche 1, Français, - aire%20de%20g%C3%A9n%C3%A9ration%20de%20la%20houle

Fiche 1,  Justifications,  Espagnol