Lego pirate proves how freak waves can sink ships

Sandrine Ceurstemont, editor, New Scientist TV

A calm sea can sometimes unleash an unexpected weapon: a sudden monster wave that engulfs a large ship. Now Amin Chabchoub from the Hamburg-Harburg Technical University in Germany and colleagues have used a Lego ship to replicate the phenomenon in a wave tank for the first time, giving insight into how it occurs.

To recreate the effect, the team produced waves based on a solution of the non-linear wave equation thought to be the most likely explanation for large freak waves. In this case, a weak oscillation propagates continuously while suddenly increasing in amplitude for a short time. "I programmed the paddle of the wave maker to generate a wave train which is modulated according to theory," says Chabchoub. "This generated small waves as predicted from the equations and we observed the formation of a giant rogue wave during this evolution." As seen in the video above, the toy boat rides along on gentle waves until suddenly a large wave appears and it capsizes.

The experiment proves that the non-linear model provides a possible explanation for the sudden formation of walls of water in the ocean. The team hopes to expand on the research to model more realistic sea conditions involving wind, water currents and two-dimensional wave trains. The results could be used to develop a short-term prediction system for monster waves.

If you enjoyed this video, see how a toy boat was used to recreate the dead water effect or check out a water-bouncing ball that mimics skipping stones.

7 layer dip recipe chris carter superbowl 2012 kickoff time what time is the super bowl 2012 nfl mvp lana del rey snl performance nick diaz