Parting the waters, Part 1: The physics of a land bridge
Sustained winds can cause an event known as a wind setdown, in which water levels are temporarily lowered (see www2.ucar.edu ). This animation shows how a strong east wind over the Nile Delta could have pushed water back into ancient waterways after blowing for about nine hours, exposing mud flats and possibly providing an overland escape route similar to the biblical account of the Red Sea parting. The animation is based on results from computer modeling that arose out of a master's thesis in atmospheric and oceanic sciences by NCAR researcher Carl Drews. The research is published in the online journal, PLoS ONE and is part of Drews's larger research project with oceanographer Weiqing Han (University of Colorado) into the impacts of winds on water depths, including the extent to which Pacific Ocean typhoons can drive storm surges. By pinpointing a possible site south of the Mediterranean Sea for a potential Red Sea crossing, the study also could be of benefit to experts seeking to research whether such an event ever took place. (Visualization by Tim Scheitlin and Ryan McVeigh, NCAR; based on model simulations.) Carl Drews talks about this research here: www.youtube.com
Теги: oceanography wind setdown archeology Red Sea Carl Drews Weiqing Han NCAR UCAR
