Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Hydrographic Module
Tides
Dave Whitcombe
Learning Outcomes
Why do we need to know about
Tides
Tidal Forces
How/Why are Tides Generated
Tide Generation
Due to Moon/Sun Gravitational Pull
Moon Period 24 hours 50 mins
Sun Period
24 hours Days
Actual Tides Result from the Resultant
Positions of Sun and Moon
Complete Tidal Cycle 29 days
N
N
Earth
S
Sun/Moon
S
Tidal Variation
Springs Neaps
Give Maximum Tidal Range
Highest HW/Lowest LW
Neaps
Give Minimum Tidal Range
Lowest HW/Highest LW
Equinox/Solstice
Sun/Moon on equal /opposite declination
Maximum Range/Minimum Range
21st March/September - 21st
June/December
Moon
Earth
Sun
New Moon
Sun
Full Moon
S
N
Moon
Earth
S
Neaps
Sun
Last Quarter
Moon
Earth
S
Moon
1st Quarter
Real Tides(1)
External Influences - Distortions
Land/Coastline
Weather
Pressure - 10mb = 0.1m change in MSL
Wind - Piling up against shore
Storm Surges: Long Period/High Amplitude
Seiches: Short Period/Low Amplitude
Shallow Water
Currents
Real Tides(1)
Resonance
Natural Period of Resonance
Combination of Tidal Cycle +
Resonance
Atlantic - 12 hours = Semi-Diurnal
Pacific - 24 hours = Diurnal
N/S of 65o Tides are Diurnal but
Gulf of Mexico = Diurnal
North Cape Norway = Semi-Diurnal
Semi-Diurnal
Diurnal
Tidal Periods
25 hours
HW
HW
Diurnal
Tide
LW
HW
HW
LW
HW
LW
LW
HW
SemiDiurnal
Tide
HW
Diurnal
Inequality
LLW
HLW
Tide Gauges
To measure Rise and Fall of Tide at a Fixed
Location
Tide Pole
Float Gauge
Bubbler Gauge
Microwave/Acoustic Gauge
For Offshore Tide Measurements
U/W Pressure Transducer
The tide gauge is located on the south east corner of Waterloo Quay, Aberdeen Docks
Tidal Levels
MHWS/MLWS
Mean High/Low Water Springs
Maximum Tidal Range Occurring at Spring
Tides
MHWN/MLWN
Mean High/Low Water Neaps
Minimum Tidal Range Occurring at Neap
Tides
MHHW/MLLW
Mean High High Water/Mean Low Low
Water
Tidal Datums
LAT - Lowest Astronomical Tide
Lowest Tide Level Predicted to Occur
Due only to Astronomical Conditions - Not
Weather
Sounding Datum
Height Level to Which Soundings are
Reduced in the Field I.e. during the survey
operations
Chart Datum
Height Level to Which Soundings are
Reduced on the Chart I.e. as defined by
Hydrographic Dept.
Reduction of Soundings
Chart Datum
Line
Raw
Sounding
Corrected Seabed Trace
Reduced
Sounding
Charted Height
Bench Mark
Ordnance
Datum
(Newlyn)
Chart Datum
Mean Spring
Range
Heights
Actual Sounding
Height of Tide
Datum for
Water Level
Mean Sea Level (MSL)
Drying
Height
Charted Depth
Chart Datum
Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT)
Predicting Tides
Harmonic Method
Rigorous Mathematical Formula
Admiralty Method
At Primary Port - from published Admiralty
Tide Tables
At Secondary Ports - modifications - Simplified
Harmonic
Tidal Differences and Ratios - Co-Tides
Establish Datum for Soundings in Offshore
Areas
Use Co-Tidal Chart to Predict Tidal Information
at Sea
Co-Tidal Lines
MHWI
Equal Time of HW
Co-Range Lines MSR
Equal Tidal Range
Relative to Nearest Standard Port
MEAN RANGES
6
0.9
0.8
Chart Datum
0.7
0.6
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
LW Heights (m)
Factor
0.5
Springs
3.7m
Neaps
1.8m
MHWI(Locn) 1h 10m
MSR(Locn) 1.95
At Selected Port :
Aberdeen
MHWI(SP)
MSR(SP)
Time Difference :
+0h 14m
0h 56m
3.7m
MHWI(Locn) - MHWI(SP)
Range Ratio :
0.53
Tidal Streams/Currents
Currents are mainly due to Meteorological
Conditions
Mainly Wind
Tidal Streams result from:Astronomical Conditions
Horizontal Progression/Movement of
Water
Effects of Coastline - Channels/Seabed
Topography
Effect of Wind
Tidal Stream Published Information :Admiralty Charts
Tidal Stream Atlases
Standard Port