Ocean Tides

Outline...
1. Equilibrium Theory of Tides

daily diurnal, semidiurnal and mixed semidiurnal tides

monthly spring and neap tide

2. Dynamic Theory of Tides

rotary tidal motion

larger tidal ranges in coastal versus open-ocean regions

3. Special Cases

Forcing ocean water into a narrow embayment

Tidal forcing that is in resonance with the tide wave

Equilibrium Model of Tides

A highly idealized, but very instructive view of tides

1. tide wave treated as a deep-water wave in equilibrium

with lunar/solar forcing

2. no interference of the tide waves propagation by
continents

Daily Tidal Patterns

Tide Height (ft)

1. Diurnal = one high tide and one low tide per day

2. Semidiurnal = two equal high tides and two equal low tides per day

3. Mixed Semidiurnal = two unequal high tides and two unequal low tides
per day

Time (hr)

Time (hr)

Time (hr)

Looking Upward from the

Bottom of the Earth

The Earths Rotation Under the

Tidal Bulge Produces the Rise and
Fall of Tides over an
approximately 24h hour period

moon

Note: This is describing the hypothetical condition of a 100% water planet

Tidal Day = 24h + 50min

It takes 50 minutes for the earth to rotate 12 degrees of longitude

So What Forces are Responsible for the Two Tidal Bulges?

Looking Upward from the Bottom of the Earth

The earths constant rotation

and two fixed forces that raise
the ocean upward to create
ocean Tidal Bulges are
altogether responsible for the
rise and fall of the tides over an
approximately 24h hour period

moon

Note: This is describing the hypothetical condition of a 100% water planet

Earth & Moon Orbit Around Sun

Rotation of Earth-Moon System About the Barycenter

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Illustration of the combined

effects of Gravitational and
Centrifugal Forces on
Earth Tides

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Looking Upward from the Bottom of the Earth

The earths constant

rotation and two fixed
forces that raise the ocean
upward to create ocean
Tidal Bulges are
altogether responsible for
the rise and fall of the
tides over an
approximately 24h hour
period

centrifugal

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gravity

moon

Daily Tidal Patterns

1. Diurnal = one high tide and one low tide per day

2. Semidiurnal = two equal high tides and two equal low tides per day

3. Mixed Semidiurnal = two unequal high tides and two unequal low tides
per day
not yet explained from
previous slides

explained from previous

slides

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not yet explained from

previous slides

The moons orbit is inclined 28o relative to the

earths equator and this has important
consequences for differences in the daily
pattern of tides depending on the latitude

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Effect of Moons Orbit Declination on Daily Tidal Pattern

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Looking Upward from the

Bottom of the Earth

The Earths Rotation Under

the Tidal Bulge Produces
the Rise and Fall of Tides
over an approximately 24h
hour period

moon

Note: This is describing the hypothetical condition of a 100% water planet

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Monthly Tidal Patterns

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The Tidal Force Exerted on the Earth by the Sun is

About 46% of the Tidal Force Exerted on the Earth by
the Moon

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Combined Effects of
the Moon and Sun
on Tidal Elevation

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Monthly Tidal Pattern

Spring Tides occur when
the moon pulls along the
same line as the sun (new
and full moon)

Neap Tides occur when the

moon pulls at 90o to the sun
(first and last quarter moon)

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Equilibrium Tide Theory

Daily Patterns:
diurnal, semidiurnal and mixed
semidiurnal tidal patterns

Monthly Pattern:
spring/neap tidal pattern

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Ocean Tides
Part II

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Outline (second half)...

!

Equilibrium Theory of Tides

diurnal, semidiurnal and mixed semidiurnal tides

spring and neap tide

!

Dynamic Theory of Tides

rotary tidal motion

larger tidal ranges in coastal versus open-ocean regions
Special Cases

Forcing ocean water into a narrow embayment

Tidal forcing that is in resonance with the tide wave

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Why do we get ocean tides, but no tides in lakes and ponds?

1. The earths own gravity is always
directed toward the center of the
earth.

2. Directly below the moon the earths
downward gravity is exactly inline
with the moons upward gravitational
pull and the earths gravity almost
completely balances the upward
pull of the moons gravity (and this
is what happens in a small lake)
3. However, the earths gravity is not inline to the moons gravity at locations not directly under the
moon and so the earths gravity cannot counterbalance the moons gravity at these locations.

4. The result is that the ocean tides are pinched upward from the cumulative lateral pull by the
moon on all the ocean.

5. Lakes are not large enough to experience this broad lateral pinch by the moon.

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Dynamic Theory of Tides

A More Realistic View of Tides

1.Tide wave treated as a forced shallow-water wave

- not in equilibrium with lunar/solar forcing
2.Affected by the Coriolis Force
3.Continents interfere with the propagation of the tide wave

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Since tidal waves are of the same length scale as the earth and
motions are on the order of a day, Coriolis Force also has a very
significant effect on the direction of tidal wave propagation.

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The Coriolis Force always acts exactly to the right of the direction of motion in the northern
hemisphere and always directly to the left of the direction of motion in the southern
hemisphere

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Rotary motion of a tide

wave in a closed ocean
basin caused by Coriolis
Force

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Co-Tidal Lines

Rotary
Tides

Amphidromic Point

Co-Range Lines

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Theoretical and Actual Rotary Tide Depicted using Cotidal

Lines (solid) and Corange Lines (dashed)

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Earths Rotary Tides Depicted with Cotidal Lines

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Earths Cotidal Lines (White Lines) and Corange Lines (Color Contours)

Note that
coastal regions
generally
exhibit the
largest tidal
ranges

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8
6
4

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Dynamic Theory of Tides

1. Tide waves are forced shallow water waves that are subject to Coriolis force and
constrained by the geometry of ocean basins

2. Explains why tidal bulge (high tide) occurs after the moon passes overhead

3. Explains the rotary motion of tides

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A Couple of Other Interesting

Features of Tides

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1. Tidal Forcing of Shallow Embayments can Enhance Tidal Ranges and create Tidal
Bores
2. For certain bay geometries, the tidal forcing frequency can be in resonance with
tidal wave propagation into and out of the bay that can lead to exaggerated tidal
variation. A direct analogy is what happens when you hold a spring at one end and
have a weight hanging from the other end and then begin to force the spring down
with a frequency that just matches the weights rise to its topmost height - with the
effect that the weight enters into exaggerated oscillations.

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Summary Points
1. Equilibrium Theory Explains:

diurnal, semidiurnal and mixed semidiurnal tides

spring neap tide series

2.Dynamic Theory Explains:

rotary motion of tides

why coastal regions experience larger tides than open ocean regions

3.Tidal Ranges can be exaggerated by:

Forcing ocean water into a narrow embayment

Tidal forcing that is in resonance with the tide wave

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