Are Gravity Waves Rare? Understanding the Elusive Phenomenon

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the nature and characteristics of gravity waves, including their commonality, detection challenges, and potential confusion with gravitational waves. Participants explore the definitions and implications of gravity waves in different contexts, including atmospheric phenomena.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that if gravity waves exist, they are extremely common but also weak and difficult to detect.
  • There is a distinction made between gravity waves and gravitational waves, with some participants expressing confusion over the terminology.
  • One participant references Wikipedia to argue that gravity waves are related to atmospheric processes, while another asserts they originate from distant sources and do not affect the atmosphere.
  • Participants discuss the naming of gravity waves, comparing them to ripples in water and noting that the term "gravity" can be misleading.
  • There is acknowledgment of common misconceptions regarding gravity waves and gravitational waves, with some participants noting that many people confuse the two.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between gravity waves and atmospheric phenomena, with some asserting a connection and others denying it. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of gravity waves and their detection.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference definitions and characteristics of gravity waves and gravitational waves, but there is no consensus on their relationship to atmospheric processes or the clarity of their terminology.

Awsom Guy
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Are gravity waves rare?
I don't I've ever seen them so any help will be good, thanks.
 
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Hi Awsom Guy! :smile:

If gravity waves exist, they're extremely common (they're produced whenever anything changes shape), but they're also extremely weak, and extremely difficult to detect. :wink:
Awsom Guy said:
Does gravity waves have anything to do with meteorology? Because gravity waves has something to do with the atmosphere and so does meteorology.

No, gravity waves have nothing to do with the atmosphere, they come from extremely distant sources

(and they don't affect the atmosphere … any bad weather you're experiencing is entirely the fault of the government :wink:)
 
Last edited:
I quote from wikipedia "In the Earth's atmosphere, gravity waves are important for transferring momentum from the troposphere to the stratosphere". Are you sure they have nothing to do with atmosphere. Thanks for any help.
 
Awsom Guy said:
I quote from wikipedia "In the Earth's atmosphere, gravity waves are important for transferring momentum from the troposphere to the stratosphere". Are you sure they have nothing to do with atmosphere. Thanks for any help.

oh, i thought you mean gravitational waves …

i've never heard of those "gravity waves" before …

whyever are they called that? :confused:
 
Thats ok, is you above statement wrong "If gravity waves exist, they're extremely common (they're produced whenever anything changes shape), but they're also extremely weak, and extremely difficult to detect". Yes a lot of people get themselves confused with gravitational and gravity waves, and I think so does google. :O
 
They are called that because they are just like ripples in water. but gravity in gravity waves confuses everyone as it does not have much to do with gravity waves :D
 
Thanks for trying.
 
Awsom Guy said:
Are gravity waves rare?
I don't I've ever seen them so any help will be good, thanks.

The waves you see on the surface of anybody of water are "gravity waves". They are called that because gravity wants to make the surface flat, so a disturbance propagates as the falling peak just builds up water somewhere else.

Don't confuse "gravity wave" with "gravitational wave". The latter is what makes binary neutron stars spiral together.

Another thing people get confused about is "holograph" with "hologram". A museum might have a 200 year old holograph on display, but it has nothing to do with lasers <g>.
 
oh wow, thanks for the information on holographs. I thought they were the same thing. damn. Thanks heaps.
 

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