Lesson #1 
As the Wind Blows....
Real Time Data.....Real Time Data.....Real Time Data.....Real Time Data.....
 
     
HINT- Did the wind direction and wave direction not correlate? 

Steady winds blowing on the sea surface produce a thin, horizontal layer at the sea surface called the Ekman Layer. This layer may be 10 m, 50 m, or at most 100 m thick.  Each layer of the ocean affects the layer beneath it through its movement. Each successively (following in order) deeper layer moves at a slower speed than the layer above and moves (in the northern hemisphere) slightly to the right of the layer above.  This results in the surface layer of water moving at a 45 degree angle to the direction of the wind.  The change in direction is created by the coriolis effect and is known as the Ekman Spiral.

Graphic from OceanWorld.  For more information, please visit the website.

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