They are responsible for transporting the heat from tropics to mid-latitudes. On the other hand, speed is said to be lower in the case of eastern currents (e.g. California Current) which transport cold water to the tropics where this is heated and pushed back to the poles by the western streams. Consequently, ocean surface currents help the Sun energy spread from the equator to the poles ((http://science.hq.nasa.gov/oceans/physical/OSC.html).

Swells, breaking surf, tsunami

Swells may be defined as "a long series of ocean waves, generally produced by wind, and lasting after the wind has ceased" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swell).They may be generated thousand of miles away from the beach by tropical storms or wind systems. Such a genesis explains their higher stability in direction and frequency, and the major attractiveness that they exert on surfers. Thus, swells are the so called wave trains which display considerable wavelength or period. This is a parameter measuring "the...
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