Can incoherent waves interfere?

[Spar]

Is interference of incoherent waves possible?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Possible? Sure. Not sure how useful or interesting, but sure. Think about water waves.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Is interference of incoherent waves possible?

If I understand you correctly, the answer is 'yes'. In optics, intensity correlations are often referred to as the Hanbury-Brown-Twiss effect.

 

[anorlunda]

Speaking as a blue water sailor, I also say yes. In fact we have the phrase "rogue wave" for the case when several ocean waves from several directions interfere positively.

We also have the phrase "confused seas" for the case when multiple trains of waves arrive from different directions with different periods, amplitudes & phases. To the person riding in a small boat, it feels random. But it isn't really random.

 

[Spar]

Thank you.

Think about water waves.

And how do interfering incoherent water waves look like?

 

[Vanadium 50]

And how do interfering incoherent water waves look like?

Wet.

This is what I meant by "not useful or interesting". There isn't a simple answer, and since there's not a simple answer, it's not terribly interesting.

 

[Spar]

Wet.

I mean... Is this interference of incoherent water waves?

 

[anorlunda]

I mean... Is this interference of incoherent water waves?View attachment 217962

Yes

 

[Spar]

Yes

But is there no energy redistribution?
Is interference without redistribution possible?

 

[anorlunda]

But is there no energy redistribution?

Are you sure? Here's a dissertation on that subject. ENERGY REDISTRIBUTION THROUGH TIDAL AND INERTIAL WAVE INTERACTION