11/21/2021

Basic Theory

 The main causes of tides in the Earths Oceans are the

combined gravitational effects of the Moon in it’s orbit
around Earth, and the orbit of the Earth/Moon system
about the Sun.

 However as the moon is closer it has a greater effect on

the tides than the sun.

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As the moon travels around the earth its gravitational

force pulls the waters of the oceans towards it.

Moon Earth

Oceans

2. NASA Tidal Forces on Earth.flv

Note that there is a bulge of water on the opposite

side of the earth to the bulge attracted by the moon
This is due to the earth’s spin causing a centrifugal
force on the water.

However this bulge is not as great as the one caused

by the moons attraction.

Moon Earth

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The sun also has an effect on the tides although

it is weaker than the moons pull

Sun

Moon Earth

The Earth spins on its axis 1 every 24 hrs. Takes 365.25

days to complete 1 orbit of the sun

Earth/Moon

Sun

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 Fortunately the effects of Moon

gravity are linear, so we can
work out the effects of each
body separately and add
them up at end.
Moon pulls
 The force of the moon on strongly on
an element of ocean is the near side
given by Newton’s famous
law of gravitation which
says that
 the force is proportional to
the mass of the moon and
inversely proportional to
the square of the distance
between them. The Earths
Gravitational
The Moon pulls
pull is equal on
down weakly
all sides
on the far side

Spring and Neap Tides

Full Moon New Moon Sun

When the tide raising effects of the moon and sun are combined, they work
together producing Spring tides.
When they work against each other Neap tides result.

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Spring Tides Sun

Twice every lunar month, the moon

and sun are in line with each other
and with the Earth. New Moon

At new moon i.e. when the moon

passes between the Earth and Sun.
they are said to be acting in
conjunction.
Approximately 14 ¾ days later, at
Full moon, i.e. when the Earth is Low Water
between the Sun and Moon, they are
said to be in opposition.
High Water
In both cases the net effect is a
Maximum tide raising force, which
produces Spring Tides. Full Moon
(Tides with maximum ranges)

Neap Tides
Sun
Twice every lunar month the Sun
and Moon are at right angles to
each other. The interval between
spring tides and neap tides is
about 7 ½ days. Third
High Quarter
At these times they are said to be
Water
in Quadrature.
Quadrature occurs during the first
and last quarters of the moon. First
Quarter Low Water
This causes the solar and lunar
tide raising forces to act at right
angles to each other.
The result in both cases is to
cause a minimum tide raising
force, producing Neap tides.

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Lunar Phases

Sun

Because there is a
time lag between the
action of the force of
gravity and the
reaction to it i.e. High
Water, caused by the
inertia of the water
mass.
It is usual for both
spring and neap tides HW
to follow the lunar
phases by about 2 to 3
days.
Obs

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Priming & Lagging

 Earth Spins on its axis 0nce every 24 hrs
 The moon makes 1 complete circuit of the Earth in
27.3 days.
 The average Lunar day is approximately 50 min’s
longer than the mean Solar day.
 This means that normally there is an interval of 24
hrs 50 min’s between the high water of one day and
the HW of the next day.

Priming & Lagging

When changing
from springs to
neaps, if the
interval between
high waters exceeds
24hrs 50 mins the
tide is said to LAG,

N and if the interval is

less than 24hr
50min the tide is
said to PRIME.

Earth Spins on its axis

once every 24 hrs

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Priming
Moon
Lunar HW would be in
the direction A-A1.

Solar HW would be in the

A direction B-B1

B1 B
Actual HW would be in Sun
C1 the direction C-C1

A1

Lagging
Moon

B1 B

C1 Sun

A1

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Moons Distance from the Earth

Perigee
363,104 Km

The moons Orbit

Apogee is not constant it’s
405,696 Km mean distance
from Earth is
384,000 Km

The Effect of The Moons Declination

N
Declination N

Declination S

The Moons declination

will also effect the
height of HW.

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Tidal Streams and Currents:

 The gravitational forces of both the Sun and Moon
can be resolved into vertical and horizontal
components.
 The vertical component has a comparatively small
effect on tidal flows.
 It is the Horizontal Component, or Tractive force
acting along the earths surface which produces
tidal flows.

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Tidal Streams and Currents:

 It is important to differentiate between Tidal Streams;

caused by the gravitational effects of the Sun and
Moon.
 And Ocean or Coastal currents; which are formed for
different reasons i.e. Meteorology, Water density, or
river outflows.

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Tidal Streams
 Tidal Streams are the horizontal movement of water
resulting from the tide raising forces.
 The horizontal component of these tide raising forces
moves the water mass towards the sub-lunar and
antipodal points.
 Due to the motion of the moon around the earth these
sub lunar and antipodal points are in constant motion.
 So we could think of HW as a wave moving around the
earths surface.

O1 O

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Tidal Theory
Tidal Streams can usually be linked with the tides at nearby ports and
may show either diurnal or semi-diurnal characteristics. The tidal
streams found around the coasts of Europe are generally Semi-diurnal
in nature, i.e. the change in direction occurs 4 times a day.
There are two general categories of tidal stream:
Rectilinear, tidal streams which change direction by about 180
degrees, these are usually found in areas where the flow is restricted.
e.g. English Channel.
Rotary, these are tidal streams which vary in direction by 360 degrees
between one HW and the next, they are usually found well offshore. It
is rare for the strength of these tidal streams to be constant over the
full 360 degrees, usually it is found to be strongest in two particular
directions approximately 180 degrees apart.
Tidal rates, depend on the range of the tide for that day.
Prediction, it is possible to predict accurately the rate and direction of
tidal streams, in European waters this is usually done with reference to
the HW at a suitable nearby port. These are known as Standard ports
e.g. Dover.

Meteorological Effects.
 Abnormal meteorological conditions may affect the times and heights
of the tides.
 Barometric pressure
 Low pressure will tend to raise the sea level
 high pressure will tend to depress it.
 Wind: The effect of wind on sea levels, and therefore on tidal
times and heights
 depends largely on the topography of the area in question
 In general it can be said that wind will increase the sea level in the direction
towards which it is blowing
 Storm surges
 Winds blowing along a coast tend to set up long waves, raising sea levels
where the crest of the wave appears and lowering sea levels in the trough
 Negative surges
 With the passing of the trough, as mentioned above, a negative surge may
occur. This can be critical to vessels with small under keel clearances

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 Rainfall:
 Heavy rainfall can result in higher than predicted
heights in rivers and also cause stronger tidal flows.
The ‘seasonal corrections’ are based on average
monthly rainfall observations but variations in sea
levels may be considerably different than predicted
due to abnormal rainfall.

Tidal Levels
HAT
MHWS

MHWN

Range of Tide
Height of Tide
MLWN

MLWS

Chart Datum Lowest

Astronomical
Charted
Tide
Depth

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Bridge and Power Lines

Charted
Charted
Height
Height
Air
Draught

HAT
MHWS
Draught

Drying Height
Sounding
Chart Datum

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