Doron Nof, Ph.D.
Distinguished Nansen Professor of Physical Oceanography
Publications
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Parting of the Red Sea

Physics Parts the Red Sea

From Science magazine
Written by Richard Kerr
24 April 1992
Volume 256
Number 5056

For whatever reason, the Bible authors fail to mention vertically integrated nonlinear equations of motion. If they had, scholars would have realized millennia ago that God needn't have violated any laws of nature when he parted the waters for the fleeing Hebrew people.

In the first mathematical analysis of the Exodus, published in the March Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, a pair of oceanographers create their own model of that Biblical scene from equations describing the sea, the wind, and the drag of wind on sea. Lo and behold, the miracle would have been in the timing: Let the Hebrews pass during a strong blow from the north-northwest; then shift those winds just as the Pharaoh's armies get halfway across the sea bottom.

For Doron Nof of Florida State University and Nathan Paldor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to be correct, there would have to have been something like a 72-kilometer-per-hour wind blowing down the Gulf of Suez for a good 10 hours. Such a gale could have shifted the gulf's northern waterline more than a kilometer south, up to the point where the shallow sea reached 2.5 meters deep. Moses would have more than a kilometer of freshly exposed gulf bottom to make good his escape. And if the wind suddenly abated, the amount of displaced water would have been more than enough to drown the Egyptians, chariots and all.

Red Sea Articles

Red Sea Video Feature



Clip from a CBS program describing the Red Sea crossing theories


Discovery Channel


Discovery Channel program describing the Red Sea crossing theories

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How to teach Oceanographic in German?

Posted on 15 April 2024

For instance, concepts like "density" may be described by technical terms in German or Norwegian but are intuitive in English. In German, terms like "Dichte" or "tetthet" aren't commonly used in everyday language and require explanation, especially in subjects like oceanography. To help students grasp the concept, I often demonstrate density through experiments, such as how soda cans with the same volume can sink or float depending on their contents.

An online German tutor can be crucial in helping students understand oceanographic topics, even if the tutor is not a specialist in the field. By providing language support and clarification in German, the tutor can assist students in comprehending technical terms and concepts that may be challenging to grasp in a foreign language. Additionally, the tutor can offer explanations tailored to the student's level of proficiency, breaking down complex topics into more digestible segments and facilitating discussions to reinforce understanding. Through personalized guidance and encouragement, an online German tutor can empower students to engage confidently with oceanographic material and achieve academic success.

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