Tides

Abstract

To fully understand tides and predict them, one must understand both the astronomical forcing that gives rise to them and also the response of the oceans, bays, and estuaries to this forcing (Parker, 2005). Knowledge of the astronomical forcing helps to describe several features of tides and servers as a basis for the tide’s predictability. However, it is the knowledge of the hydrodynamics of the tide in a particular ocean basin, shelf sea, or estuary which provides understanding of the timing of high and low water, the size of the tidal range, the form of the tide, and any complex shallow water distortions of the tidal curve.