Inside The Navy's Indoor Ocean

The US Navy has an indoor ocean that can simulate any wave in the world. This video is sponsored by Brilliant. You can get started for free, or the first 200 people to sign up via brilliant.org/veritasium get 20% off a yearly subscription.
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters! Join the community to help us keep our videos free, forever:
ve42.co/PatreonDEB
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Thanks to Kelley Stirling and the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division for the visit.
Thanks to Miguel Quintero and Capt. Todd E. Hutchison for talking to us about the important work going on in the Maneuvering and Seakeeping Basin.
Thanks to Dr. Georgy Manucharyan at the University of Washington for his help in understanding ocean waves.
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References:
Webb, P. (2017). Introduction to Oceanography. Chapter 10: Waves. Online OER textbook. - ve42.co/Webb2017
Stewart, R. (2008). Introduction to Physical Oceanography. - ve42.co/Stewart2008
van den Bremer, T. S. & Breivik, Ø. (2018). Stokes drift. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A. - ve42.co/Bremer2017
Monismith, S. (2020). Stokes drift: Theory and experiments. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 884, F1. - ve42.co/Monismith2020
Young, I. R. (1999). Wind Generated Ocean Waves. Elsevier. p. 83. - ve42.co/Young1999
Wright, P. Island Physics. 4.2 Formation of Waves - ve42.co/IslandPhysics
American Bureau of Shipping. (2016). Guidance Notes on Selecting Design Wave by Long Term Stochastic Method. - ve42.co/ABS2016
James, S. & Stull, R. (2019). Wave Characteristics. UBC ATSC 113 - Weather for Sailing, Flying & Snow Sports. - ve42.co/James2019
Garrison, T. (2009). Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science (7th ed). - ve42.co/Garrison2009
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Special thanks to our Patreon supporters:
James Sanger, Louis Lebbos, Elliot Miller, Brian Busbee, Jerome Barakos M.D., Amadeo Bee, TTST, Balkrishna Heroor, Chris LaClair, John H. Austin Jr., OnlineBookClub.org, Matthew Gonzalez, Eric Sexton, John Kiehl, Diffbot, Gnare, Dave Kircher, Burt Humburg, Blake Byers, Evgeny Skvortsov, Meekay, Bill Linder, Paul Peijzel, Josh Hibschman, Mac Malkawi, Mike Schneider, John Bauer, Jim Buckmaster, Juan Benet, Sunil Nagaraj, Richard Sundvall, Lee Redden, Stephen Wilcox, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Michael Krugman, Cy 'kkm' K'Nelson, Sam Lutfi
▀▀▀
Written by Derek Muller & Emily Zhang
Edited by Fabio Albertelli
Animation by Ivy Tello & Mike Radjabov
Filmed by Derek Muller & Emily Zhang
Additional video/photos supplied by Pond5 & Getty Images
Music from Epidemic Sound
Produced by Derek Muller, Petr Lebedev, and Emily Zhang

[@duser]

I love how even in the highest echelons of the United States scientific community, a foot ball stadium is the go-to metric to communicate area.

[@goldensnitch5492]

🤣🤣

[@Bittertokken]

Most people i believe can visualize the size of a football field.

[@gerald6656]

'merica

[@charlymrivera7236]

is very small them

[@ab3040]

Well they aren't gonna say soccer

[@knicklichtjedi]

The most interesting takeaway for me was, that different oceans require different strategies/ships. Until now, my perception of boat ranged from small to big, but not in the dimension of place of operation.

[@Jack-ne8vm]

I was on 150' ships in Gulf of Mexico & Pacific Ocean. The first day on different water I'd be queasy from the difference.

[@nitehawk86]

The most interesting takeaway for me is these people have a way more fun job than I do. :)

[@O.D.91]

but what about "space-time"?

[@warsurplus]

@knicklichtjedi and the fact that the CO had a stateroom with a large bed frame mattress while the crew are in racks the size of coffins.

[@GriffinZambia]

*Dont_Read_My_Names* .😑 ..

[@jooniexim]

This really makes me realize how incredibly intelligent humans are. To know the nature and derive equations and make these equipments for maximum safety it’s just beyond imagination which is made possible by humans if you really think about it, amazingly fearless and brave.

[@randomnamemab]

​@@Money37945lol

[@Know3ody]

Mad how America can make such things as this but can't help 3rd world counties 😂 maybe this was funded by all the stolen oil money 💀

[@justahugenerd1278]

I always find it so fascinating against the juxtaposition of the many ways we really are animals. We can make these amazing indoor oceans, all these spectacular feats of engineering, yet we still panic like we're prepared to fight, we still seek dopamine rushes because of programming, we still fear death and crave intimacy... To me, I find that to be the most incredible part. It's not like the way we evolved our intelligence made it replace those more primal instincts -- it was just added alongside them, added on top. I think that's what makes us so exceptionally complex too. If we were just one or the other, we'd be boring and predictable. Instead, we can harness both of them to do amazing things and live happy lives! :)

[@jk7713]

Humans are idiots and we are slowly destroying this beautiful planet

[@zangrygrapes4571]

@@Know3ody stay mad.

[@lindasamba4816]

I really fear open water or even like vast deep dark bodies of water in general so this wave pool is terrifying to look at but at the same time I'm annoyingly interested in it so it's like I'm scared but I can't stop looking 😂

[@crispymelonztwitch]

i feel the exact same way. like it’s so scary but so cool.

[@trainsarethecoolest]

Yes!!! when he asked to swim in it I was like ...are u sure

[@pchapmanus99]

Bro same lol

[@user-zx8wt6pk7l]

why does the machines make it scarier or the fact that maybe there is something deep down there and they just haven’t checked properly or if i drown no one will notice

[@lucy-rv1in]

@@user-zx8wt6pk7lomg yes I feel that as well! hahah

[@kingdomlol709]

Damn the US Navy really just saw the ocean and was like "I want one"

[@yaboi3839]

Space Force: *Heavy Breathing*

[@isaacperkins9603]

@@yaboi3839 Space Force: *Chokes to death because they got what they wanted*

[@wojciechbieniek4029]

@@isaacperkins9603 they've got it at Nasa's Plum Brook research centre

[@isaacperkins9603]

@@wojciechbieniek4029 Yes...But *gravity*

[@whannabi]

@@isaacperkins9603 heh...send it into space then. Isn't that the whole point of the ISS? Just do the same.

[@TimeBucks]

This is actually an amazing feat of engineering

[@zubairzahid9259]

Nice

[@hemantpatel1789]

@@zubairzahid9259 nice

[@StormtrooperDoge]

A verified comment with under 1000 likes? WHAT!

[@manueldasilva4395]

Yes, excellent site

[@ener8035]

@@manueldasilva4395 Vietnam 3,000,000 Kills instantly. Throwing napalm on children from airplanes. 3,000,000 Dead after the US left due to chemical weapons pollution left behind. People are still born mutilated or dying by the same chemical weapons. Vietnam has the youngest population in the world. In 1968 there was talk in Washington about the use of nuclear weapons in Vietnam.

[@_jok_3r]

Maybe I'm just old or it's my love for the ocean, but this video got to my emotions. Also, just made me happy that the person being interviewed, seems to really love his job, and was probably so thrilled to be able to share a bit of the fascinating work he does. Really enjoyed this video.

[@Carrymejane]

Yes❤

[@Chanel31113]

Agree!

[@theguyfromwalgreens]

I wish I could have a job I love like this. This would be a blast to cover up with, but Inhave a better chance at learned Mandarin Chinese than understanding all of the math involved in stuff like this.

[@CptSchmidt]

You know this guy loves his job when even his shirt is wind and waves. What a cool guy.

[@steventrostle1825]

This is important for those of us who have been out in the ocean and facing 50-70' waves. The US Navy has lost 16 ships due to weather since 1900 and many more prior to that. So as a former sailor I can understand how important this pool and the study of Hull design is.

[@idontwantahandlethough]

70' waves is kinda hard to wrap my head around tbh lol, that's frickin nuts! Edit: is a wave measured from peak to trough, or is it measured from the middle of the wave (which I assume is sea level but idk) to top/bottom of the peak/trough? I'm a dirty landlubber so I tend to think about [ocean] waves in the wrong way. Despite what my brain wants to think, a wave isn't just a section where the water is higher, it's usually a place with a section of water _lower_ than normal *AND* a section of water that is higher (which is super obvious since that's basically the definition of a wave lol). So I guess my question is if a 70' wave is more of a swell from -35' to 35', or if it means the wave is literally 70' above sea level (which seems to me would mean it probably goes down roughly 70' below sea level too..? Is that the case?) Edit2: ah, p-p amplitude is the term is was looking for. Is a wave height measured by peak-peak amplitude, or half of that value (which is what most people call regular 'amplitude', I think), or some other third way I haven't thought of?

[@steventrostle1825]

@@idontwantahandlethough In 1968 I was in a force 5 typhoon in the Tiawan Straights which is just incidently some of the roughest water in the world without a 150 MPH wind to drive it. It is a miracle that we survived in the 265' ship we were in.

[@briancavanagh7048]

Its interesting how many ships have been lost to weather. Today with satellite weather imaging & reporting there should be no reason to run ships into conditions where there is a risk to the vessel & crew. Unless the command ignores the weather information.

[@johnsmith1474]

They don't lose ships due to hull design, they lose ships do to error in operation. If your commander put you in 70 ft waves he's the problem.

[@steventrostle1825]

@@briancavanagh7048 Well some ran aground in heavy weather about 5 in that 16 count, many more have found shallow water during that period but have not sunk. There is an old saying about Captains "there are those who have run agound and those who will run agound" Of course those who do are generally no longer comanding a ship.

[@zekrodev]

It blew me away when I saw them standing next to the model and it was way larger than it appeared in the pool. In the pool it looks so tiny but that also made me realize how large the waves actually can become in there. Very amazing.

[@jaraskur]

I am not sure if that really was the same model or just a larger scale model. But please prove me wrong

[@Its_Me17]

Timestamp?

[@SlackerU]

@@Its_Me17 17:27

[@SlackerU]

@@jaraskur 8:35 it's the same model. It's a specific size for specific mathematical reasons.

[@l1mbo69]

@@SlackerU there are ships of many diff sizes.. diff sized models for each size

[@TheSunIsMyDestroyer]

don't let that indoor pool scare you, there's only a single great white shark swimming in it

[@PersonausdemAll]

I tought about sharks too 😂

[@Boomkinguyman]

And they made the right decision not to allow waves with humans in it. There is NO NEED to risk it. And probably has many other reasons.

[@dziubo1]

Shout out to Miguel! You are so nice to hear and learn from you, a reall keen and open personality to explain curiousities of your work!

[@afz902k]

When I see long distance, low frequency waves carrying energy all the way from a storm to the coastline, that's just swell.

[@clockwork8548]

absolutely legendary comment here heh

[@CzarToonz]

You dropped this: 👑

[@GoCoyote]

Just as-well to coast on your puns!

[@contrapasta2454]

👈😗👈

[@kennarajora6532]

indeed it is

[@stapesstreams2672]

As an engineering student - It's really fascinating to see some of these concepts in actual practice. In all of his content. I remember learning about Fr numbers last year and seeing how these scaling's for video time and vehicle speed represent the full scale models so accurately is so cool. I swear I learn better from his videos than I do from my actual classes 😂

[@sushiburps]

So cool, love Miguel 's reaction to that model "much bigger than this would terrify me". His ability to scale the pool to the real world is so second nature, what a unique and amazing job.

[@cheezelizzard6707]

buddy

[@getlazy956]

@@cheezelizzard6707m😮.

[@cheezelizzard6707]

@@getlazy956 dad?

[@cheezelizzard6707]

@@ot6443 hey buddy i think the website that you were running with that huge bucket dosnt work very well can you add a heavy irrigation Pivot?

[@AmoghA]

I studied fluid dynamics, oscillations and waves and this is by far the coolest and most practical application of the theory. MinutePhysics made a video a while back about the pattern of wake trails ships and boats leave behind and the physics behind it. I loved wathcing how the theory I did on paper checks out the real world phenomenon. I believe that if more schools and universities taught this way, the world will have better and more able people in science.

[@User-jr7vf]

That's why the US probably remains on top when it comes to military dominance in the world. Your country has a lot of money to invest in many things, like this Indoor Ocean, not to mention the expensive war simulations/games that the army carries out every year. I think that no other country can afford to do the same.

[@melissa-wilson]

Super cool! What an interesting degree 👏.

[@Konarcoffee]

@@User-jr7vf And don't forget they can shovel piles of money into youtubers with no morals so they can do military propaganda videos like this one

[@pyropulseIXXI]

But they do teach like this, if you go to a research university. My school had nuclear reactors, simulations on computers, various real world models, etc

[@GriffinZambia]

*Dont_Read_My_Names* .😑 ..

[@fabioagnello850]

Super interisting, love the way you simplify the science in your videos. Keep doing this !

[@arrynnova3812]

Nice to finally see where my tax dollars are going

[@moogle68]

You must be blind if you've never seen anything at all in your life until now that was funded with tax dollars. What'd you get, an eye transplant? Ever seen a "road" before?

[@must205]

Well spent

[@zombiedeath23]

I actually have a very very very big fear of indoor oceans like this. I went to a coast guard base in North Carolina in 2013 when I was in the Boy Scouts, and inside they had a wave pool, and a replica helicopter for practicing getting out of a submerged helicopter. Anyways, they turned on the pool and it started moving and I just had a secret panic attack and I was terrified. That was the day my fear was born. Watching this video is so freaking terrifying

[@highlanderholyfield855]

I’d be terrified to swim in that water

[@SDXStudio]

Hey- I've got an irrational fear of indoor pools like this too. It's really strange. I swam in pools my whole life- but my freshman year in high school we had a pool in the basement and to get to it you needed to climb down this really weird stair case. I always imaged my self slipping on the stairs, hitting my head, and then falling into the pool. If they are "nice" pools, I'm fine- like in a new fitness center or a gym or something. An example where I went to HS for senior year had a brand new Olympic swimming pool and I had no issues there.

[@petalriver]

i also have a massive fear of indoor water like this, never knew that other people did too!!

[@thejaydenbatts]

DBAB

[@stephencollins9062]

Don't worry you will only remember it when you're going to sleep bro;)

[@5MadMovieMakers]

Whatever floats your boat

[@leflyathon]

first

[@HayItsRhy]

second

[@grace-om3cd]

third

[@bderrick4944]

@@grace-om3cdGrace is that you???

[@boredyoutubeuser]

Roblox reference??? 🤨

[@danishbashir3422]

I have seen only two videos of this man and i am now found of him because of his creativity and of showing the relevant things that are diversified in the nature like this man woyld touch every aspect of logy in his video in terms of recreation, info, scientific concepts. love you man. Love from kashmir (India)

[@garydingle]

I have the pleasure of visiting this facility while working for NOAA. We were testing new current meters there. That was many years ago. The capacity for test and research was and continues to impress.

[@tomc8157]

As did I with yet another prodigious 4 letter acronym. Quite the small wonder of technology.

[@nice.diverjeff5883]

Is this in oregon??

[@CineSoar]

One question this video didn't answer, and maybe someone who has been there can... How is the water sealed, on the two motion 'coasts' of the pool? I was surprised to see the backs of the wave paddles, and the faces seemed independent (not visibly connected by a membrane). What keeps the water from getting past them?

[@Charles-Darwin]

@@CineSoar From what I could tell, they have a continuous membrane that is connected between them. It looks like that membrane also has folds between the actuator 'faces' -to allow flexing.

[@jesipohl6717]

Research implies a free-flow of ideas for most scientists, militaries do not do research, they strategically release information and lock away information. They look for legit partners like NOAA who are underfunded to scrub their image.

[@sqwerty0829]

This is so rad!!! I'm a music producer and all these same principles apply to sound waves except sound waves are invisible to the eye. It's easy to hear standing waves in a room. If you play a constant low bass frequency and move around the room you can hear how certain parts of the room have boosted bass while others have nulls. So cool to actually see these principles visually!

[@ellenburns3025]

never thought about this how cool

[@Lolwutdesu9000]

Need some bass traps bro :P

[@daelaenor]

Every kind of wave behaves that way. That's why it's a wave.

[@allenstorm3771]

mushrooms help u see sound

[@billyblanton]

I always heard my friend who produces say the same thing that they are almost identical with a few exceptions. That’s so cool that sound waves and water waves are basically the same thing in different forms

[@crd88918]

I live right near this place and have always known a little bit of what was done there (rumors and generic descriptions), this is so cool to actually see inside!

[@lisainsideaddiction]

One of the best videos I have ever watched! Thank you for making it, learned so much.

[@michaelharrison1093]

When Derek was talking about different oceans having different spectral content I was hoping that someone had created a 'color map' showing this detail. I think that it would be interesting to see.

[@ValReif]

NOAA kind of has, but I don’t believe anyone has farmed it for visualization yet. You can go look up the NOAA bout system and see real time wave data and historical spectral data.

[@TheKroesar]

There are a few approximations out there. However, developing a spectrum accurately representing a certain region is a lot of effort and very expensive. The JONSWAP spectrum, for example, was a joint industry project, funded by multiple organisations. Hence the name: JOint North Sea WAve Project.

[@ANunes06]

And I hear "spectra" with regards to mechanical phenomena and immediately think "What is the Power Spectral Density of these seas?"

[@ValReif]

@@ANunes06 that’s a great question! That’s how the offshore industry looks at it because you can determine a transfer function between power spectral density and floating body response!

[@DrDeuteron]

Nice idea. But too many frequcies. You could multiply it by a human eye response and get a neat result. With some loss of information.

[@mikewatson5662]

As a long time professional in this field, this is without question one of the best if not the best videos I have ever seen. I know many others in our company are geeking on this right now. Great work!

[@duongchuc1834]

ok

[@bichnguyen-uc4ys]

ok

[@Yaisam]

Best way to show how cool your work is hahah

[@dylanelliott866]

Surfline?

[@mikewatson5662]

@@dylanelliott866 Yessir

[@nubiamanuel]

This is a very interesting video! I’m obsessed with anything Ocean related , the break down of the waves was quite fascinating, everything else was cool too

[@EngRMP]

I co-op'd there during college and then continued there for anther 25 years. I can tell any young engineers that the DOD research facilities are great places to apply your skills to broad and fascinating issues. As an electrical engineer I worked on underwater acoustics for submarines, structural issues on F14 jets, using radars to understand hydrodynamics, underwater explosives to study structural strength of ship hulls. (yes, they have a blast pond). As someone else pointed out, they sponsor (and host) the human powered submarine competition in their long tow basins (actually curved to follow the curvature of the Earth). This video is a fantastic description of wave physics... really well done (as usual).

[@killahbee]

Do you know if MASk is filled with saltwater or a controlled variant of, or is it unaltered tap water?

[@EngRMP]

@@killahbee It's fresh water. I seem to remember that they had a special pipe from the water company since they needed such a large volume if they drained it. There is a rotating arm facility next door and of course the long tow basins that also hold a lot of water. So, there is a holding tank outdoors that can be used to help move water around. But, I wasn't in the Hydro group so I'm not positive of the workings.

[@zeloganbrothers]

@EngRMP I'm currently studying Electrical Engineering. It's a hard major but I've learned and have really begun to appreciate everyday things we take for granted, like computers and the power grid.

[@muhammadjalal2335]

Cool

[@EngRMP]

@@zeloganbrothers I would encourage you to look into coop (maybe it's called work/study these days). You alternate semesters between work and school. It adds to your total time at school but you get tremendous engineering experience which really adds to the engineering study. And, typically the host not only pays you a salary but also pays for education and books (not living expenses). My dad paid my freshman year and then I was able to cover the next four years with the co-op income.And, finally, the work experience helped me decide what I wanted to do after school. Good luck Ryan.

[@steveprice5664]

My dad took me to the David Taylor Model Basin when they had an open house. I was about 10 years old and still remember it. Now, as an engineer approaching 70, I think that I would appreciate it a lot more. Thanks for posting this video!

[@GriffinZambia]

*Dont_Read_My_Names* .😑 ..

[@OhNoNotAgain42]

My dad thought it was so cool, that when I was born….

[@scottpercival172]

The linear tanks at this facility were built during WW2, but this wavemaking basin was built in the early 1960's. It would have been brand new when you visited.

[@OhNoNotAgain42]

@Karl with a K Absolutely not. There is no software that can adequately model turbulence. Scale models are still the only way to test complex systems. Aerodynamics, earthquake motion, wave action, etc. I’ve been an engineer in these fields for more than 30 years. Software has been developed for all sorts of common needs, but it’s always limited. Also, the only way to develop and tune computer models is with controlled facilities like this.

[@KingNoTail]

@Karl with a K False

[@deriksteven]

You regularly blow my mind. Thank you & all of the other intelligent creatives that post videos here. Cheers…big time.

[@gordonfream5101]

As a college student studying naval architecture I want to thank you for shining some light on how cool our field is.

[@abraxas365]

What school? I got the degree, but didn't end up designing ships after I graduated, but I do alright. You're gonna get a broad education about a lot of things, and learn the valuable lessons presented by designing a system of systems. Never feel like you're getting a narrow education or have narrow prospects after you graduate. Good luck.

[@HumanFellaPerson]

Don't support imperialism!

[@TerryTerius]

@@HumanFellaPerson We shouldn't support imperialism, but just being in possession of a military/navy and investing in technology is not in and of itself imperialism. That's a matter of how you actually use your military.

[@DrDeuteron]

Naval engineering was the rocket science of yore. Many famous ppl worked on. Many nonlinear differential equations were discovered

[@joegibes]

For those interested, Neil Degrasse Tyson's book "Accessory to War" is a must-read about the pervasive connection between military and scientific research. His focus is astrophysics, and his point is that military and science have ALWAYS been interconnected... The nations want more power and intel, so they fund the science. The connection is deeper than you think.

[@xMattbot]

Your videos never feel like they’re 20 minutes long! There’s always so much research into topics that we would’ve never known if not for your videos. Love the content.

[@scanskynero3083]

This is the 20th time I've seen this copypasta on an infotainment channel.

[@shellderp]

Makes you realize most youtubers stretch their videos with fluff for more money

[@GriffinZambia]

*Dont_Read_My_Names* .😑 ..

[@in5aneguy597]

my wife says similar things about our sex life, unfortunately it's because it isn't

[@deepkar7885]

Coz this video is 20 minutes long

[@anthonylombardo2249]

I literally live across the street from this place and got a tour in elementary school!! It’s terrifying walking along side it just knowing how deep and how much water there truly is

[@ErisEntropy]

seeing this 16:25 really makes me want to work here. This looks like a really fun environment

[@mughilmuthupari3007]

I remember visiting here when I was in high school engineering class. We were testing some mini underwater devices with servos for an assignment. I was blown away by how large the pool was. Very cool to see this place featured in your video!

[@tanvirbinlokman8576]

It must have been cool right?

[@mr_tom_1_0]

Ah, how High School has changed…

[@slimshady6597]

@@MrEpicAndroid take your meds, please

[@muhammadjalal2335]

Yo

[@truthdoesnotexist]

lucky

[@matthewmoore5934]

Thanks for including the math of how to relate models to full size behavior. At first I was thinking “sure but physics doesn’t necessarily scale like that” but of course it’s been figured out. The model footage slowed down by the correct ratio looks amazingly like the real deal. So cool!

[@vibratingstring]

Yes. What doesn't scale is the turbulence so the froth is missing in model. That's due to Reynolds number being ridiculously low. Cannot scale both. For drag tests, the solution is literally gluing rocks to the model to induce turbulence. Btw as a kid I watched Ultraman and I thought the flames and smoke looked weird. That's the same Reynolds problem

[@vibratingstring]

@@ridwanfaysal7935 da fuq?

[@brianmiller1077]

I judged a middle school science fair and a kid was testing windmill blade designs. He used a fan as a wind source and there was basically zero difference between the designs. He admitted he knew this did not make sense in real life (a courageous thing) but he wasn't sure why. I asked him what his wind speed was and he didn't have a device to measure it. Fair enough I told him that in modeling there's a scale factor has to be factored in (like what Derek mentions for waves) but what it was I wasn't sure because I learned about 30 years ago In fluids class. "So I could be throwing a hurricane at these blades?" he asked "Precisely, and that would give you the results you're seeing" I replied.

[@MrJdsenior]

@@vibratingstring Stupidity meets science, that is WTF. It seems like you can't find a video with a reasonably large comment section that doesn't get infiltrated by one of these, frankly, morons.

[@cherylcorvo467]

Freaking epic video packed full of information! Side note: I appreciate the engineer's choice of shirt for the interview. He wore a wave shirt!

[@sudhansuraj8509]

Thank you for teaching us about Waves & Wave length, it's about PHYSICS! yeah✨

[@rm-61366]

I retired from Carderock in 2020, after a 3+ decade career. If you are a naval architect, this is the place to be. I got to work on some cool stuff.

[@david84ss]

What code were you in?

[@rm-61366]

@@david84ss structures

[@jesipohl6717]

what was it like working in a segment where scientific results are held back from the public to benefit making murder machines more effective against enemies?

[@rm-61366]

@@jesipohl6717 it was great!

[@vibratingstring]

Did you know John Hoyt at Carderock? He designed the fabulous miniature towing tank at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. It even had a wave maker, wave eater, and both powered and instrumented gravity powered carriage. Sadly, no matter how I tried to convince them, the management there tore it out about 25 years ago. Very very sad.

[@majorlycunningham5439]

A lot of this knowledge surrounding wave propagation we were taught to understand as AGs (Aerographer’s Mate - basically meteorologists for the aircraft and shipboard operations) in the Navy. What I found fascinating is that while the ocean is often depicted as a turbulent environment (and it is), there are areas of it that have zero turbulence. Working on an aircraft carrier, we would sometimes come across an area with calm winds. When that happens, the surface of the water becomes glasslike. Couple that with a marine layer of a fog bank, and you’re in for a surreal time!

[@Wormwoodification]

Never been on an ocean but you see that all the time in the movies. That glass surface. Like "at the edge of the world".

[@jackhand4073]

My dad taught me some of this in relation to surfing and reading a wave/break/line up. Great video.

[@EvaOwnsAll]

That glasslike phenomenon is actually quite deceptive to aviators as well. I work in flight test and when there are no waves, common pratice is to raise the "floor" of our test envelope. We've many a system to warn about one's altitude but that glass like feature has gotten many experienced aviators, it lures one right in.

[@hovikmkrtchyan4598]

Վ

[@charleediaven6278]

0 seconds ago I was in those bad seas off of Hainan Island in a Liberty ship. 324 feet and we watched in awe these waves cresting over the bow. The freeboard on that tub was about 30'. We were battened down, I stood watch on the port side. 1967.

[@thisisbossi]

I used to handle transportation operations for areas around Carderock (well in a sense I still kinda do) and they offered me a tour many years ago. Loved absolutely every minute of it. Of all things it's the smell of that room that's always stuck with me.

[@illumabody]

Transportation operations eh ❤

[@yelyab1]

Good stuff. Scale model testing takes a lot of special adjustments because you can’t scale things like the water characteristics to make it more realistic. While working at a large mfg of over the road transportation vehicles, using scale model testing was used in research. The engineers putting metal on the road were not an easy sell vs full size testing of experimental (prototype) vehicles, which cost lots of money.

[@kedo]

I’ve seen computer simulations of waves and how they interact, but it’s SO awesome and WAY more impressive and intriguing to see it in the real physical world.

[@dj-kq4fz]

Anyone who has surfed for any significant time probably has an understanding of this without, perhaps, realizing the science behind it. Thanks Derek!

[@DrDeuteron]

Surfers have binary classification. Inside or outside. Too big. Too small. Mine. Yours.

[@Skibbidyboobop]

@@DrDeuteron Eh, many of them have a deeper understanding of wave propagation than you may think...

[@iabervon]

I would guess that surfers have a better understanding of when the wave base interacts with the bottom, and less understanding of the dynamics where this isn't going on. I was wondering at the beginning if they'd be able to control the depth, but they probably just plan to avoid areas where it matters when the weather is bad.

[@d-entrecasteaux]

@@DrDeuteron this would make an awesome wave pool for surfing😊

[@surfingbilly9654]

I know i definitely have a very detailed understanding of waves when they start hitting the bottom, lots of very specific knowledge that is not usually covered in science classes. Especially with how small environmental changes can drastically change the final outcome of the wave.

[@Lordhavemercy96]

Man these guys are so knowledgeable, this is great. Truly the worlds best.

[@veteangesiale9619]

Came across this channel unexpectedly. I'm gonna have to re watch this. I am a Sound Engineering student and we use Wave as the formulation of Sound. This was very interesting to watch. But, Imma have to come back to this cause I suck at math,🥴😂😂 and I need a note book to observe all these information in cause this was very informative and very educational. Super helpful for me. Thank you for this❤

[@_Coffee4Closers]

Back in the 1990's I actually did go swimming in the longer towing tank there at the David Taylor Model Basin. In college I took part in the human powered submarine races held there, and we broke a World Record for the fastest human powered submarine in Tennessee Tech's "Torpedo III". We went there several times and ran the timed races in the large tow tank. Lot's of us in the subs and lots of safety divers. It is a pretty amazing place.

[@vibratingstring]

It is long enough that you can see the arc due to the earth's curvature.

[@_Coffee4Closers]

@@vibratingstring Yes, the side rails for the overhead instrument carriage are shaped to perfectly follow the Earth's curvature along the towing tank. We were allowed to go down and visit the scale model building shop, where the master model makers make the towed hulls. They had a very detailed model for almost every ship, sub, and torpedo in US inventory down there.

[@vibratingstring]

@@_Coffee4Closers That's a great experience. I used to run a small (tiny) tow tank in Philadelphia. I made some models less than 30" long for it, using mahogany lifts that I cut to match the waterlines and then planed--the time honored method.

[@_Coffee4Closers]

@@vibratingstring wow, cool stuff. I was in Engineering school at the time. and fluid dynamics was my specialty. Spent my later career in Aerodynamics for 2 major jet engine makers.

[@vibratingstring]

@@_Coffee4Closers Cool! I live not far from one of them (engine manufact).

[@ConeMedaillon34]

As someone who's interested in music and sound design, it's just fascinating to see how the same math and physics principles can apply across all kinds of different fields. This universe is beautifully designed

[@aaqilian5.085]

Nobody cares. Beat off

[@KougaJ7]

Amen!

[@krasus7858]

Designed? Don't think so. It is all coincidience.

[@raxxtv1998]

@@krasus7858Lol what does that make you feel better, or something? Smarter, maybe? The truth is that nobody actually knows either way. However, the universe is beautifully structured, and it is absolutely not a coincidence. It functions according to natural laws built into existence. It’s not a coincidence that everything appears the way it does, no matter how you slice it. Fun fact, science has nothing to say about the deep philosophical questions that we as humans are burdened with. Using science to dismiss these questions is simply an abuse of science, and is actually anti-scientific.

[@sheevdesai9490]

like your geogebra profile pic

[@eljarkgrande8534]

its actually pretty funny how accurate the small ship is to the big ship when you slow it down. btw good content i love how you make things most people would ignore into a pretty fun video

[@plantzengineering9925]

Wow... What an amazing facility and explanation of the physics in operation. Thank you!

[@blatherskitenoir]

I am mainly impressed that all of the wave makers are so snug together that there is zero leaking behind them, despite all that water pressure, and yet they can still move.

[@sechura3698]

I think they hook over the walls of the pool so that the mount and actuator are outside of the pool walls while the paddle is the only portion submerged.

[@JoseRodriguez-ey7ju]

actually that's not how they work. yes they are fitted tightly however even between the tiny gaps there is a sheet that contains the water, you can see that at 1:39 they aren't fitted together so tightly that no water can escape, making the paddles fit together so snugly that without anything in between is impossible

[@ahriman935]

@@JoseRodriguez-ey7ju It's probably possible, but the wear would be insane and would quickly make the fit not-so-snug-anymore.

[@blatherskitenoir]

@@JoseRodriguez-ey7ju as super cool as they are, I still think walking in that corridor behind them would be as stressful as a horror film scene, as you wait for the water to burst through and drown you before you could get out.

[@mattpassos5689]

@@blatherskitenoirdon’t fly in planes then, gravity is just waiting for you to slip up there

[@deanevangelista6359]

When I was a Cub Scout over 50 years ago, we took a field trip to that facility. It was quite impressive. I drove by there recently and notice a missile battery next to the building. I think it’s the longest building in the world.

[@bertrandmalas6389]

The russian tank is even longer

[@Autumn_Leaves_Falling]

@@bertrandmalas6389 cool.

[@sebastianpeheim8851]

how long is it?

[@scewston420]

half mile

[@bertrandmalas6389]

@@sebastianpeheim8851 russian towing tank is 1300 m

[@foreverraining1522]

I like how you put the ad at the end of the video, because it makes you appreciate watching the ad after such a great video. This channel is perhaps the single best channel on KZbin.

[@PrincessLorelei]

Miguel just strikes me as that dude who could be both the chill best friend and the total brains of the bunch. He could totally be that laid back college professor who you learn the most from and consistently gets top ranks from the students.

[@bradenfoster8259]

This is such a fascinating video. I am a mariner in the Gulf of Mexico and it's true; you can really feel the difference in the waves between a smaller area like the gulf and the wide open Atlantic Ocean.

[@vincentmisan]

Great

[@circleinforthecube5170]

similar to the great lakes, the small ones feel small but superior feels like a sea

[@YouTube]

i have never seen such well choreographed and perfect waves 🌊

[@patrickshell2813]

🤨

[@coda56]

whad tf

[@iscoute8353]

Only 3 comments? I'll fix that

[@taz7914]

Hi

[@realdeal2454]

Fuk you KZbin

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa4545]

I would NEVER get in there but I can't deny that it's awesome! Imagine having mock ship battles in there (I wouldn't do that either but it's fun to imagine)

[@noahhume9743]

Long ago I had the pleasure of working in Ann around the Davidson laboratory at Stevens Institute of technology in Hoboken. Pretty much it was the same thing you are seeing here very interesting tanks and wave interactions. Underwater jets slow motion, photography. Before cloud computing, these kind of physical analogues were the best Toole possible for ship, design, and wave structure interactions. Sadly, most of this is now done in simulation but it’s cool to see they still have a place for scale model testing.!

[@paulrapp613]

Lovely program. Stirred up some great memories. When I was in the 8th grade (1960) my science project was a wave making machine. It was a tad smaller than the pool you visited, just 30” x 60” or so. (Some memories just don’t keep all the details). But it did make real waves and their interaction with the sand beach at one end was clearly visible. It was a fun project and even earned an honorable mention in the school science fair that year. Keep the aspidistra flying!

[@maneater901]

that is so cool

[@longnamedude3947]

Glad to hear your story, I hope you have built other things since then in your adult life, if not, theirs no day like the present, get building!

[@icytiger34]

nice

[@muhammadjalal2335]

Nice

[@murph_mustela]

People keep writing numbers with those apostrophes next to them to describe waves. What does it mean? What unit is it?

[@StreetComp]

Nice to finally see what’s inside as I grew up near this facility in Maryland and it was always a mystery what was going on in there - from road can just see several large hangar structures

[@jonathanshapiro6593]

This the one off MacArthur and along Clara Barton?

[@StreetComp]

@@jonathanshapiro6593 exactly. Seems like an odd place for this sort of thing, the area is quiet wealthy residential

[@erik61801]

the wave formation from the wind animation was trippy af, felt like a fractal zoom.

[@boutthere3374]

This was absolutely fascinating. I know he said nobody is allowed to swing in that pool but how many have swam in that pool and how much fun was it?

[@guitarplayer1495]

I wonder what it tastes like

[@kinggooktheautistickingewg788]

Money can buy anything. I'm sure if someone rolled up with a 5 million dollar payment, the government would just say "sup thanks welcome", get some basic safety lines in place so people can always pull themselves up, and get the party started,

[@Douglas.kong33]

Bro that pool looks like a nightmare

[@crazycat7678]

​@@Douglas.kong33 fr you can't pay me 1m to swim there what if someone didn't know you were there

[@RickC_]

I have scuba dived in that "pool" when working on a Titanic project for the Discovery Channel back in the 90s (Titanic: Answers From The Abyss)

[@prodigyvoltzz5286]

This is actually really cool, like I had no idea wave physics functioned in such a uniform fashion.

[@shibbymiyah6614]

Veritasium is the best science based videos out there..I really enjoyed this video and the one about the balls on the reservoir

[@literaryartist1]

This is amazing. Never would have thought of something like this.

[@marieschneider13]

When the engineer says "I guess it's a risk thing" about going on the water with waves, I swear, it sounds like he really wants to anyway 🤣

[@LordZordid]

This looked like a very tame version from a water park. I don't see the appeal.

[@felicityc]

We had a very big wave pool at SERE but it was not quite this big. It was just really interesting how rough they could make the water in such a small space without it feeling cramped in any way. We had to get dumped in with our gear and be able to get up and onto a life raft, and then be able to call over radios. Needless to say trying to sit under a tarp on rough waters in a fake storm and also hear anything is difficult

[@jacobr8790]

SERE? Are you allowed to all about that lol isn’t there a nondisclosure agreement

[@bthsr7113]

@@jacobr8790 I would have assumed so.

[@Sn0w_Official]

You can get into the general details about SERE without giving too many actual details of specifics. Like I can tell you about some stuff about the M1 Abrams tank but I can't give you the exact schematics and the nuances to it that isn't public knowledge

[@monkeyears4473]

I pass by this facility everyday when I go to swim practice. Never knew it was this complex.

[@Lolosmommie]

Did you see the waves in California last week? They've never been that high and that constant to where it flooded parts of the inner city . They were insanely high. Some up to 40 feet high. I'm happy to say my son just enlisted in the Navy ❤❤❤

[@flymypg]

Story time! I joined the US Navy in 1975, recruited into the nuclear power program. My education was intense, something at which I did well, but when I got to the hands-on operation of a nuclear reactor (a safely land-locked fully-functional reactor prototype) the increased stress caused me to burn out, and I went to the fleet as a "regular" sailor. My first ship sent me to gyrocompass school, where the primary goal of the gyrocompass was always to point to True North. But to do that, the system had to account for many other effects, some of which were measured and provided as outputs to other systems, including not just navigation and ship stability systems, but also missile and gunfire control systems. The Navy had loaded me up with a ton of education, then assigned me to a completely new field for the controls for the shipboard gas turbine propulsions systems used on destroyers and cruisers. I did well in those schools (the Navy had made me VERY good at being a student), and was assigned to the awesome job of being part of the "nucleus crew" responsible for "buying" a newly-built destroyer for the Navy, taking it from the shipbuilder to active commissioned duty. My ship was the USS Harry W. Hill, DD-986, a Spruance-class destroyer. As we were nearing the end of our pre-commissioning inspections, Hurricane Frederick approached the shipyard at Pascagoula, Mississippi. All ships present and under construction were lashed to their pier moorings with triple line sets. Then it became clear that the storm would strike us especially hard, so at the last moment the decision was made to send all ships to sea that were capable of it. Which included our ship, which was still owned by the shipyard, and was operated by a civilian captain and crew, with us sailors helping out in every way possible. It was one hell of a ride. The waves were breaking OVER THE TOP OF THE SHIP, and our captain was concerned that any wave could cause us to drive ourselves into the water and to the bottom. We survived (obviously), but when we returned to port, the front of the superstructure had been "waffled", something the USS Hill proudly displayed for her entire 20-year career. Another thing also happened: All the ships sensors, many of which I knew "personally", had recorded troves of data during the storm. The data was copied and whisked away by NAVSEA (the folks responsible for ship designs) for analysis. But I got to take a look at it as well. Using a very simple model of the ship, and the recordings of its motions in all directions, I was able to reconstruct a very simple analysis of the sea state (simple, in that I hadn't yet learned differential equations, and so had to use approximations). Frederick wasn't huge as hurricanes go, but it approached and struck in a way that the shallow Gulf coast served to amplify its waves. Despite my being ON THE SHIP through the storm, looking at that data made me realize just how fortunate we had been to suffer only trivial damage. It's a testament to the extreme talent and skill of our civilian captain, "Captain Pat", to know where to point the bow and how hard to drive the engines. That's the point I want to make. Yes, models and tanks can help evolve ship designs. But it takes talented leadership and crew to make such ships do amazing things under the worst conditions, and do so without losing or damaging the ship. How does the Navy train "ship drivers" to take a vessel beyond its "book" limits? I don't know the answer, but I'm glad they've figured out how to get it done! The data indicated a high risk of destruction. Yet we "managed just fine". Go figure.

[@coooclmmaann12]

Awesome story, loved reading it

[@teachmehowtostewie]

This is the only comment I actually believe happened.

[@averageamericangirl6819]

Oh wow. Thanks for sharing.

[@jakobion9216]

Could you explain what you mean by the superstructure was "waffled"?

[@Danvenrit]

very cool story

[@surfriderca9707]

As a surfer, I’m semi-obsessed with learning about waves. This may be the best video I’ve ever seen. Well done!

[@colelangford6369]

This is one of the most fascinating videos Ive seen in a long time.

[@bobvogel9916]

I was there, to do testing, many years ago. (c.1978) As impressive as the wave makers, there are also the 'beaches', and then that 'bridge' over the ocean. It's as long as a football field, and each end is on a rail car. And it can pivot 45 degrees to the tank. We were using that to tow underwater equipment. Definitely a neat place. Great to see it again!

[@bunnieswithbowties3901]

I have a massive fear of the ocean, but I love to learn about it and how waves are formed.

[@Stepharoni_and_Clean]

I also love learning about it like I'm extremely intrigued but it's my 2nd biggest fear next to heights lol

[@yMeNorDoFluXox]

Me too I don't know why but ocean water especially the water in this video looks very frightening especially compared to beach water

[@moneyman1588]

​@@Stepharoni_and_Clean same here heights and oceans

[@tompatterson1548]

You know what they say, know your enemy.

[@racistman928]

wind

[@tardiscommand1812]

Super friendly place to work, something is always waving at you in the morning.

[@curbacz16]

Currently studying Fluid Mechanics in my Mechanical Engineering undergrad program-- absolutely loving this video!

[@Ranter06]

This is fascinating stuff to a guy who spent 20 years sailing in the Navy from the North Atlantic to the Arabian Gulf. I actually had a shore tour with the David Taylor Research Center working with surface effect ships at their Patuxent River facility. Amongst the cool stuff we did there we did get to tour the Carderock facility and see the tow basin where they can pull model hulls over a one mile long pool that, IIRC, follows the curvature of the earth. Neat place doing useful research for us squids. Thanks for that.

[@Vivianislistening]

Persian Gulf

[@Schervin]

Where is the Arabian gulf? I can't find it on the map

[@mychaelleesly]

@@Schervin The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. It is connected to the Gulf of Oman in the east by the Strait of Hormuz. Wikipedia

[@Ranter06]

@@Vivianislistening Spent 3 years running minesweepers out of Bahrain. Locals called it the Arabian Gulf. So did the folks in Qatar.

[@Vivianislistening]

@@Ranter06 Just because some use the name doesn't make it right. Any ancient map will tell you what's right

[@Omar96149]

15:55 idk why but that little boat spreading around was hella funny to me

[@greysonknight]

wow. i used to live right across the street from the whole area growing up. now i know what makes all of that noise 😭. i never needed to set an alarm clock over the weekend, the national anthem woke me up in the morning.

[@eastonhoffman61]

Wow, I never thought an indoor ocean would be that interesting and complex like that.

[@nicoleeudelle6893]

Very educational and informative! Also the calculations that they have to perform is amazing. I could imagine it has to be accurate in order to determine the waves. Engineers are geniuses.

[@capt.luggage4609]

I love this guy's content, it's just so interesting!

[@didacuas5753]

Just finished my Msc in Mec. Engineering with a wave energy converter model. Interesting to see a full scale wave flume in action. The basic wave theory was very well explained. Great video.

[@carlosjaviervinasvelazquez2078]

I really loved this video! I'm an oceanography graduate, and watching this excited me at another level. Thanks for all this wonderful content, Derek 🙌🤝💙

[@stephendoherty8291]

It would be interesting to see this facility testing commercial container ships in high sea states as many lose containers in some storms as these ships keep getting taller with more containers. As for innovation in hull design for surface ships (and the Navies stealthy ships have not really worked), we are likely to see new designs for drone ships that do not worry about movement but speed and ocean state capability matter. There is also a very "new" hull design called X-Bow. This makes a big tall front curved bow design that can cope with extreme waves head on and yet reduce the pitch at the back. They are popular in the North sea and being used to support oil rigs and wind farm construction and spreading even to superyachts (for those who have weaker sea legs). You can also bet they have sensors underneath to model subs and thermoclines (no mention if the pool could be heated) and their sound signatures. The issue with these hull tests is that its difficult to alter the hull design quickly if the test results are not performing (unless we get 3D printing of ship hulls) whereas a CGI model can be altered on the fly to test new shapes. We are likely to need new hull designs to cope with ever more powerful hurricanes at sea as the oceans warm up.

[@Carrymejane]

I'm kinda depressed and stressed out, but seeing this makes me better, i have better feeling ❤

[@MaddRamm]

My thalassophobia was seriously kicking in when they said that was 20’. I’m always afraid of getting sucked down drains and hate taking baths or swimming in the deep end of a pool. I was having heart palpitations through this entire video. But it was great and I still enjoyed it!!!

[@KaliKali-hv9bt]

Oh is that what it’s called???? I’m the same way. Some of my weird bad dreams contain of tubs or pools with mechanisms at the bottom …yes I hate pool drains too.😂 I’m still wondering what the drains must look like in this pool

[@DAMfoxygrampa]

You gotta get over that fear, god damn

[@Lega_Twist]

@@DAMfoxygrampa it’s a disorder, it’s not so easy mate

[@Arock404]

i wanna swim in it so bad

[@isaiahfajardo4331]

@@Arock404 same

[@geoffreyzziwambazza7862]

I had done the Blackhawk water survival training at the indoor ocean in South Korea. I had conquered a lot of fears I didn’t even know I had, and experienced more than many others may never know. I also learned that despite my training, the chance of survival is less than 10% no matter how good you are at it 😅

[@jjmcclendon3261]

Good at what? What are you surviving?

[@harb1ng3r82]

@@jjmcclendon3261 helicopter crash into water

[@adityapatel2818]

It was today i saw visual representation of standing waves. Thanks veritasium

[@mikvadesigner]

this was great - do more of this type

[@rosskrt]

This is actually an amazing feat of engineering. I wonder if other navies have a similar ocean simulator.

[@jesipohl6717]

They all need to figure out how to kill people more effectively so probably. Do you think that's amazing?

[@wake-upcall4867]

We also have tanks and pools for every kind of simulation in the Netherlands. Question is why this pool has to be so big for those small models. Unless a model will be 30 m. (About 90 feet)

[@rosskrt]

@@jesipohl6717 a piece of engineering is amazing independent of its use. It's technology at its peak. You don't think it is amazing?

[@DasGanon]

@@wake-upcall4867 I would say maybe scale was bigger at one time, or if they're worried about multiple ships and how they interact together, like maybe a carrier group. Also could just be inertia like the bay has to be big enough to get the proper scale and tolerances

[@tim9241]

@@wake-upcall4867 scale factors start to limit what you can do with smaller basins and wave paddles. Water viscosity etc. starts to affect the wave form and you hit limitations in scales/waves that you can test. End of the day: bigger is better!

[@BomberBrent]

honestly I could spend an ungodly amount of time just watching how waves propagate off of boats in that "pool" at a perfect calm state. 10:06 is a perfect example of what I am talking about.

[@OriginalPuro]

That was very interesting. Thank you.

[@SamuelDavidson-lp7wt]

Fascinating! I just can't figure out how often new videos appear?

[@nicholasperry2380]

Fascinating video. Thank You for working with Miguel to explain 'rogue waves' so clearly. Others could learn from that. The sound analogy is also very interesting. Great work and beautifully presented.👍

[@Epsil0nify]

This takes me back to fluid mechanics class, especially when you talked about the unintuitive scaling of experiments. One of the hardest classes I've taken that's for sure!

[@user-tp4uj9bn8z]

He realized there had been several deaths on this road, but his concern rose when he saw the exact number.

[@hullygully1135]

Brings back memories, used to work offshore in the North Sea and had to do the survival refresher course every 4 years, used to dread it when I had to do the course in Aberdeen, wave machines, darkness with explosive technics and flashing lights and even staff using a fire hose on you whilst trying to get on top of the liferaft to turn it over this was then followed by the helicopter ditching and the fire fighting, luckily they toned the firefighting down a bit because of injuries etc.

[@hremostypas]

as a child i always loved playing in the sea with the waves and i did it so much i learnt how waves work in the practical way (i had even given names to some type of waves). watching this video helped understand the theory behind them as well and thats just trully amazing. what a great video.