Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 21:15:16 -0800 (PST)
From: Gene Thompson <gthompso@ccsf.cc.ca.us>
To: Pinhole Listserv <pinhole@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: Re: A foamy question
In-Reply-To: <v01540b01b1131709c715@[192.174.2.170]>
Yesssssssss...I'm sorry to say I do. I live on the Great Highway and
often go out to the beach. The foam appears during and after some big
storms so I always thought it was due to stuff being smashed up by lots of
extra wave energy -- like the carageen (sp?) in seaweed. I was out there
after the last big storm and a neighbor came by. I told him the beach
wasn't worth it -- the waves were up to the dunes and any sand left was
covered with foam. Then he told me about the foam. His friend works at
the sewage treatment facility down by the Recreation Center for the
Handicapped (behind the zoo), and when the volume increases due to storm
run-off they have to quickly treat and release as much volume as possible,
or else they end up flooding the system and releasing untreated sewage.
The foam is caused, he said, by the additive used in this quicker
treatment. I haven't called the treatment plant yet to verify this (and
to quiz them on what's in the treatment) but I've got no reason to doubt
my neighbor.
Ellen Koivisto
George Washington High School
San Francisco, CA
On Fri, 20 Feb 1998, Pinhole Listserv wrote:
> I was walking on the beach yesterday. The waves were crashing and the wind
> was gusting.
> As I watched the sunset, I was hit in the face by a large clump of foam.
> Does anyone know what causes this foam to form?
>
> Eric Muller
> Teacher-In-Residence
> Exploratorium
> 3601 Lyon St.
> San Francisco, CA 94123
> 415-561-0313
> email:emuller@exploratorium.edu
>
>
>
>