Tides and Currents

What Are Tides?

 Tides are the periodic rise and fall of ocean waters
produced by the attraction of the moon and sun
 Tides occur in all bodies of water
 Occurs daily
High Tides

High tides are when the water reaches its highest point.
High Tides

Low tides are when the water reaches its lowest point.
What Causes Tides?
 Tides are caused by the interaction of Earth, the Moon,
and the Sun
 Since the Moon is close to the Earth, it has a strong
gravitational pull on it (closer objects have stronger
gravitational pull)
Gravitational Forces
 Every particle attracts every other particle
 Gravitational force proportional to product of masses
Increase mass, increase force
 Inversely proportional to square of separation distance
Gravitational Forces
 Greatest force at zenith – closest to moon
 Least force at nadir – furthest from moon and opposite
zenith
Centripetal Force
 the force that is necessary to keep an object moving in a
curved path and that is directed inward toward the
center of rotation
Resultant Forces
 Mathematical difference between gravitational and
centripetal forces
 Relatively small
Tide-Generating Forces
 Resultant force has significant horizontal component
 Pushes water into two simultaneous bulges
 One toward Moon
 One away from Moon
Tidal Bulges – Moon’s Effect
 Small horizontal forces push seawater into two bulges.
 Opposite sides of Earth
Moon’s Gravity – Tidal Bulges
This pull creates a bulge of water, called a tide bulge,
on the side of Earth facing the moon
 Moon’s Gravity – Tidal Bulges
 The water on the side of Earth facing away is “left behind”
and forms a second bulge.
 As Earth rotates, different places on the
planet’s surface pass through the areas of the
tidal bulges and have the change in water levels.
Tidal Bulges – High Tide
 In places where there are tidal bulges, high tide is
occurring along the coastlines

High Tide

High
Tide
Tidal Bulges – Low Tide
 In places between the bulges, low tide is occurring.

LOW TIDE

LOW TIDE
Sun’s Gravity and Tides
 The Sun is so large that its gravity also affects tides.
 The Sun and Moon both have an effect on the Tides.
Tidal Force Envelope
Tidal Phenomena
 Tidal period – time between high tides
 Lunar day
Time between two successive overhead moons
24 hours, 50 minutes
 Moon orbits Earth
 High tides are 12 hours and 25 minutes apart
Daily Tide Cycle
 Most seashores have four tides every day – two high tides
and two low tides

 The observable rise and fall of the sea level is influenced

strongly by shoreline topography, ocean currents and the
distribution of the continents on earth

 As a result different tidal cycles can be experienced in

different regions of the world

 They are described as semi-diurnal, diurnal or mixed tidal

cycles
Daily Tide Cycle
Semidiurnal Tides
 A semidiurnal tidal cycle is a cycle with two nearly equal
high tides and low tides every lunar day
 They have a period of 12 hours and 25 min, and a
wavelength of more than half the circumference of Earth
 The following diagram shows the sea level change over
time for a typical semidiurnal tidal cycle:
Diurnal Tides
 A diurnal tidal cycle is a cycle with only one high and low
tide each lunar day. Diurnal tidal cycles can be found in the
Gulf of Mexico and on the East coast of the Kamchatka
Peninsula
Mixed Tidal Cycle
 A mixed tidal cycle is a cycle with two high and low tides
with different sizes each lunar day
 The difference in height between successive high (or low)
tides is called the diurnal inequality
 Areas with a mixed tidal cycle can be found alongside the
West cost of the USA, in parts of Australia and in South
East Asia
Monthly Tide Cycle
 Changes in the positions of Earth, the Moon, and Sun affect
the height of tides during a month
Spring Tide
 Spring tides occur 2 times a month, during a full and new
moon when the Earth, Sun, and Moon are lined up
 When the sun, moon and earth fall in a line and tide
generating forces of the moon and sun are additive
 Spring tides are higher and lower than normal tides
 “strong tides”
Neap Tide
 Neap tides occur in between spring tides, at the first and
third quarters of the Moon when the Sun and Moon pull
at right angles to each other
 The actions of moon and sun are subtractive
 Neap tides are not as high or low as normal tides
 “weak tides”
 Highest Astronomical and Lowest Astronomical
Tide

Highest astronomical tide (HAT) is the highest level, and

Lowest astronomical tide (LAT) the lowest level that can be
expected to occur under average meteorological conditions
and under any combination of astronomical conditions.
Ebb Tide and Flood Tide
 Ebb is the tidal phase during
which the water level is falling
and flood the tidal phase during
which the water level is rising

Ebb Current and Flood

Current

 Ebb is the tidal phase during which

the tidal current is flowing seaward
(ebb current) and flood is the tidal
phase during which the tidal current
is flowing inland (flood current).
Tidal Curve
A graphic representation of the rise and
fall of the tide in which time is usually
represented by the abscissa and height by
the ordinate.

For a semidiurnal tide with little diurnal

inequality, the graphic representation
approximates a cosine curve.

Tidal Range
Tidal range is the vertical difference
in height between consecutive high
and low waters over a tidal cycle.

The range of the tide varies between

locations and also varies over a range
of time scales.
MHWS-mean high water springs
MLWS - mean low water springs

The height of mean high water springs is the average

throughout the year (when the average maximum declination
of the moon is 23.5°) of two successive high waters during
those periods of 24 hours when the range of the tide is at its
greatest.

The height of the mean low water springs is the average height
obtained by the two successive low waters during the same
period.
MHWN - mean high water neaps
MLWN - mean low water neaps

The height of mean high water neaps is the average

throughout the year (when the average maximum declination
of the moon is 23.5°) of two successive high waters during
those periods of 24 hours when the range of the tide is at its
least.

The height of the mean low water neaps is the average height
obtained by the two successive low waters during the same
period.
Mean spring & neap ranges

The mean spring range is the difference between mean high

water springs (MHWS) and mean low water springs (MLWS)

The mean neap range is the difference between mean high

water neaps (MHWN) and mean low water neaps (MLWN)

Highest & lowest levels

The highest and lowest tides shown for the particular years is
an indication of the maximum levels under average
meteorological conditions which can be expected during that
year
Tidal Bores
The tide may rise suddenly and rapidly as if a wall of
water rushes up a channel. Such an in rush of water is
known as tidal bores
Characteristics of Tidal Bores
1. Extreme case of shallow water effect

2. Occurs into a river or estuary with a steeply shelving

bottom

3. Rapid and sudden rise of tide

4. Produces a wall of water which moves up the channel

5. Wave front is steep or vertical vary in height btn 0.3 m

to 4.5 m

6. Advances in a speed of 3 knots to 20 knots

7. It may or may not break

Tidal Stream
Tidal stream is the horizontal movement of water due
only to the tide generating forces
Tidal Flow
Tidal flow is the movement of the water actually
experienced in a given area.

It is made up of true tidal streams and several other

components such as short period currents caused by
meteorological and other effects.
 Tidal Characteristics of Bangladesh
Based on Tidal range

1. Microtidal zone:
0-2 m; Tetulia
river,chandpur

2. Mesotidal zone:
2-4 m, South Bhola-
Hatia North

[Link] tidal zone:

> 4 m east hatia-
Sandwip
 Tidal Characteristics of Bangladesh
1. The tidal waves observed along the coast of Bd originates
in the Indian Ocean

2. It travels across deep bay of Bengal and approaches the

coast from the south arriving at hiran point and Cox’s
bazar at the same time

3. Average tidal range is approx. 1.5 m in the west to over 4

m in Sandwip channel. At spring tide, the tidal range can
be close to 6 m near sandwip and Urirchar

4. There is a seasonal variation in mean tidal level due to

variation of pressure and wind

5. The tide is semi-diurnal on the Bd coast, two daily high

and low tides
Tidal Characteristics of Bangladesh
[Link] inequality of tides ranges between 0.55 m to 0.15 m

[Link] bores are frequently observe in south of Urirchar

[Link] neap tide velocities are generally lower than spring

tide velocities

9. Sediment distribution is mainly governed by magnitude

and net flow direction of tidal flow

10. Erosion and accretion along the banks and shorelines are
related to the flow velocities dominated by tidal flow
Tidal Theories

Newton’s statical or equilibrium theory

 Based on gravitational pull
 Assumed equilibrium of a particle at each instant
 If this assumption were correct there would have been high
tides exactly when the moon was passing over the meridian
 But this is not observed to be true and there is a time lag or
advance
 The Newtonian explanation is thus incomplete

Laplace theory
 Laplace went a step further, taking into account the
disturbances due to earth rotation
 His theory is known as dynamical theory
Tidal Tables

Tide tables, sometimes called tide charts, are used for tidal
prediction and show the daily times and levels of high and
low tides, usually for a particular location

The dates of spring tides and neap tides, approximately seven

days apart, can be determined by the heights of the tides on
the classic tide tables: a small range indicates neaps and large
indicates springs
Tidal Tables
Prediction of Tides

The two elements required in the prediction of tide at a place

are:

i. Time of occurrence of tide and

ii. Height of tide above datum

There are two principal methods of tide prediction:

i. Prediction by use of non-harmonic constants

ii. Prediction by use of harmonic constants
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

The various non-harmonic constants that are used for

prediction of tide at a place are

a) Age of tide

b) Lunitidal interval

c) Mean establishment

d) Vulgar establishment
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Age of tide

 In the equilibrium theory, the earth is assumed to be

enveloped with sea of uniform depth
 This condition is fulfilled only in southern ocean
 Therefore, it is only in this portion of ocean where
equilibrium figure may be developed
 Primary tides wave are therefore, generated there and
derivative or secondary waves are propagated into the
pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans
 These derivative waves proceed in a general north south
direction, though their direction is influenced by the form
of coast lines and the intervention of land masses
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Age of tide

 The time which elapse between the generation of spring

tide and its arrival at the place is called the age of the tide
at that place

 The age of tide varies for different places upto maximum

3 days

 It is obtained as the mean of several observations

Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Lunitidal Interval

 Lunitidal interval is the time interval that elapses between

the moon’s transits and the occurrence of the next high
water

 The values of lunitidal interval can be observed if they are

plotted against the time of moon’s transits
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Lunitidal Interval

High water lunitidal interval

The high water lunitidal interval (or high water interval) is the time
interval between the moon's transit and the next high water. The
interval may be taken from the local time of moon's transit to the
local time of high water, or it may be taken from the Greenwich
time of the moon's transit to the standard time of high water

Mean lunitidal interval

Also referred to as the mean high water interval, this is the mean
value of all the high water intervals throughout at least a lunation of
29 days
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Lunitidal Interval
 RECAP
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

The various non-harmonic constants that are used for

prediction of tide at a place are

a) Age of tide

b) Lunitidal interval

c) Mean establishment

d) Vulgar establishment
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants
Mean Establishment
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Mean Establishment

The average value of lunitidal interval at a place is known as

its mean establishment

To get the approximate time of the high water

1. Find from the charts, the age of tide and mean

establishment for the place
2. Knowing the hour of moon’s transit at the place, on the
day in question, determine the time of moon’s transit on
the day of generation of the tide
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Mean Establishment

3. Corresponding to the time of transit of moon on the day of

generation of tide find out the amount of priming or lagging
correction from the table given below
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Mean Establishment

4. Add algebraically the priming or lagging correction to the

mean establishment to get the lunitidal interval for the day in
question

5. Add the lunitidal interval to the time of moon’s transit on

the day in question, to get the approximate time of high water
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants

Vulgar Establishment

Vulgar establishment is defined as the value of lunitidal

interval on the day of full moon or change of moon

The value of vulgar establishment is approx equal to the clock

time at which high water occurs on the days of full moon or
change of moon

Mean establishment = vulgar establishment – lagging

correction
Prediction by use of Non-Harmonic Constants
Height of tide
 Another item in the prediction of tide is the estimation of
the height of rise of tide, i.e, vertical distance of the high
water level above some suitable reference datum
 Commonly adopted datum is the low water level of
ordinary spring tides for the place
 The approx ht of tide of known rise or range, at any time
btn high and low water can be ascertained from the
following expression:
H = h + (1/2) r cos θ
Where,
H= required ht of tide above datum
h= ht of mean tide level above datum
r = range of the tide
Θ = (interval from high water/interval between high and low
water ) x 180
Prediction by use of Harmonic Constants

36 tidal constituents of harmonic type

10 important constituents are listed in the following table-
Prediction by use of Harmonic Constants

For prediction of tide, the following expression is used:

V = f H cos (E-g)

V= value of constituent at zero hour on the day in question

H=mean amplitude (half range) of the constituent at the port
in question
f=factor, the value of which is very near to unity, and which
varies slowly from year to year
E=angle (same from all ports)
G=constant, special to the port and the constituent
Tide gauges

1. Non-registering type of tide gauges

 Staff gauge
 Float gauge
 Weight gauge

2. Self-registering type tide gauges

Tide gauges

 Staff gauge
Tide gauges

 Float gauge
Tide gauges

 Weight gauge
Tide gauges