Buzz
Far below the ocean's surface, enormous swells exist that would dwarf even the most daring big wave surfers. These colossal waves, invisible from shore, can soar to heights comparable to the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and are a year-round phenomenon.
Created by tidal forces dragging water over the diverse ocean floor and wind patterns sweeping across the surface, the largest recorded waves are found in the eastern South China Sea, bordering China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. These submerged waves can tower up to 500 meters (1640 feet) and, unlike fleeting surface waves, persist for hours, intensifying as they traverse the seabed.
In a groundbreaking study featured in Nature, researchers deployed mooring lines equipped with sensors from surface buoys to the ocean floor, capturing detailed data on the underwater dynamics.
These immense underwater waves play a crucial role in transporting marine life across the ocean, enabling species to ride currents to shore for feeding or breeding. This movement is vital for sustaining the South China Sea’s coral reefs and helps distribute heat from the ocean's surface to its depths.
“It resembles a colossal washing machine,” remarked Thomas Peacock from MIT, a co-author of the study, in a press statement. “The level of mixing is far more intense than we had anticipated.”
