Earth Science Current Events: Killer Waves Quite Common

The Science Channel as been showing a great program about evolutions in wave theory, specifically killer or rogue wave theory. Two things about the show are particularly amazing:

1) They feature a new satellite technology that allows scientist to scan the oceans at once and detect killer waves as they happen. So what, you ask? What they found is that killer waves are not rogue waves or exceptions to the norm at all. They are quite common, even in areas of deep ocean with little strong current, which defies the traditional explanation that rogue waves form because strong current and other interfering forces like wind and landmasses create heavy opposing forces. Rogue waves are actually quite regular. Yikes.

2) The program pointed out that part of why earth science cannot explain these waves is that most wave theorists use a classical model of wave theory – linear wave theory – which derives from standard mechanical physics. Yet, when Schrodinger’s non-linear (i.e. quantum) wave theory is used to explain the wave movement, it matches exactly with the reality of how these deep ocean killer waves form. In English? Quantum mechanics operating on a massive, massive scale. Fascinating stuff. The non-linear wave theory had been ignored by science for the past several decades. It is now getting a new look.