Re: Why are there different textures on the surface of bodies of water?

Hi Tiana:

There's a few reasons why you can see different "textures" on the surface of water. One could be changes in the behaviour of waves as they get close to shore: When a wave reaches water that is about 1/2 of its wavelength deep, friction with the bottom becomes important and changes the shape of the waves. With a change in shape of the waves comes a change in texture of the water as seen from the surface.

Another thing could be "slicks" on the surface of the water - there have been some studies on the composition of slicks, and it appears they are often oily organic layers. Some have been associated with fish and plankton die-offs. In any case, a slick can also change the way that waves form and propagate, thus changing the "texture". Furthermore, surface water is pretty active - it's moved around by the wind, and things like langmuir circulations subduct water in some areas and upwell it in others. This can make the locations of slicks "patchy", therefore making the changes in texture patchy as well.

In some lakes, and more commonly in the ocean, one can encounter fronts, which are areas where two different water masses meet. Near where I live, the Fraser River enters into the Pacific Ocean, and there is always a front between the fresh river water and salty sea water. It's very easy to tell the two water masses apart, because they have very different colours and textures.

Hope that helps!
Rob Campbell, MAD Scientist