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Barry A.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
At the Panama canal, the Pacific Ocean is measured as being 20cm higher than the Atlantic. So, theoretically, if there were no locks, but just a
straight channel cut through Panama, there would be a steady current flowing from the East to the West (as Bill pointed out) Pacific to Atlantic.
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Sounds like a golden opportunity to create some perpetual hydroelectric power, to me. 
Barry
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
At the Panama canal, the Pacific Ocean is measured as being 20cm higher than the Atlantic. So, theoretically, if there were no locks, but just a
straight channel cut through Panama, there would be a steady current flowing from the East to the West (as Bill pointed out) Pacific to Atlantic.
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I have heard that... Does it have to do with Earth's rotation or tidal factors? Since 'sea level' is a reference point considered constant word wide.
Of course 20 cm is only about 8 inches, right?
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vandenberg
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Not going to question Howard on that 20cm. That;s only about 7 inches. And the locks are immense. May have something to do with the tides. Logic tells
me that high tide on the east side, will occur at the same time as ebb tide on the opposite side.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
Dennis,
Getting a "limey" car would solve that problem. |
Don't you mean an "Arnold?" If you keep going right, pretty soon you're going left.
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
Dennis,
Getting a "limey" car would solve that problem. |
Don't you mean an "Arnold?" If you keep going right, pretty soon you're going left. |
or maybe hit a dead end of indecision---and maybe it will be at the very real tip of Baja
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MrBillM
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Getting a Lock on the Tides
In the case of the "Current" Panama Canal, if there were no locks, there would be no flow other than the lakes emptying into the oceans.
A Sea-Level canal IS Feasible, was originally envisioned and is still talked about today, including through Nicaragua, but it will "Probably" never
happen. It came up again recently when it was feared Panama would eventually run out of water to operate the Canal Locks.
AND, according to what I've read, the height involves a number of factors including Water Density and Tidal influences which would account for a Flow
even with a Sea-Level Canal.
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Skipjack Joe
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Coriolis Effect causes eastern pacific water to "pile up" on our western shores. Due to rotation of the planet.
http://www.arizonaenergy.org/WaterEnergy/The%20Major%20Ocean%20Currents.htm
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MrBillM
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A More Specific Reference
http://www.pol.ac.uk/psmsl/puscience/
Sea level is about 20 cm higher on the Pacific side than the Atlantic
due to the water being less dense on average on the Pacific side and due
to the prevailing weather and ocean conditions. Such sea level differences
are common across many short sections of land dividing ocean basins.
The 20 cm difference business is determined by geodetic levelling from one
side to the other. A datum called Panama Canal Datum is used. When you use
spirit levelling you follow a 'level' surface (to our perceptions, see 1)
which will be parallel to the geoid (which is geometrically a 'lumpy' surface).
The geoid is the surface of constant gravitational potential (plus a 'centrifugal
potential' term) which on average coincides with the sea surface i.e. a 'level'
surface in everyday language. The 20 cm difference at Panama is not unique. There
are similar 'jumps' elsewhere e.g. Skagerrak, Indonesian straits.
If the canal was open sea and not locks (i.e. if somehow a deep open cutting had
been made rather than the canal system over the mountains) then there WOULD be a
current flowing from Pacific to Atlantic. An analogy (although not a perfect one
because there are many other factors) is that you could compare Panama to the Drake
Passage off the south tip of Chile which has a west-east flow (but mostly wind-
driven of course, but Pacific-Atlantic density must play some role).
Locks are needed in the Panama Canal because the canal climbs over the hills and
makes use of mountain lakes. Therefore, locks would be needed even if sea level was
the same on the two sides. (So, for example, there are also locks on canals here in
England which is much less mountainous than Panama).
Note also that the tides have opposite phase on the 2 sides of Panama, so, if there
was a sea level canal, there would be major tidal currents through it.
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Bajahowodd
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I'm glad I could spur some research. As unbelieveble as it seems, there is a water density dif between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Beyond me to
understand it. If anything, I would have thought that the Atlantic was warmer than the Pacific at Panama. What do I know? But, it ain't going to
affect how we all feel about Baja. Enjoy one of nature's wonders.
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Bob H
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Baja&Back
David: your map is crooked! Too many Pacificos. |
Actually, I would never question David K on the subject of Baja maps! Never, ever. You will get burned.
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