I am rewatching The Little Mermaid and during the scene where prince Eric’s ship is hit by a storm, you can see some shorter shots of the sea beneath its surface and it looks pretty calm, while the surface is absolutely ravaged by the storm.
Is this an oversimplification or is this actually the case?
There are consistent currents beneath the surface. They’re definitely impacted by wind forces on the surface, but the currents would be the dominant force for sure. I’d imagine it would be comparatively peaceful once you get more than 100m down.
I’m thinking oceans can absorb a lot of energy from the surface before causing much movement. The comparative density and depth must be huge factors in that.
It’s moreso when you get giant landslides, earthquakes or explosions when you get significant movement AFAIK.