The Residual Water Flow through the Solent, South England

Abstract

Summary. A reduced equation of motion is used to compute the residual velocity and the residual transport through the West Solent from the water levels recorded over an eight‐month period at tide gauges at either end of the channel. A coefficient of bottom friction of 5·0 × 10−3 is assumed. There was a spring‐neap variation and a significant correlation of fluctuations in the residual velocity with meteorological conditions. Westward residual velocities occurred at spring tides with low barometric pressure and south‐westerly winds. Eastward residual velocities occurred at neap tides with high pressure and north‐easterly winds. Because of the progressive nature of the tidal wave the long term residual transport appeared to be towards the west and the flushing time for the Solent system was long for considerable periods. The maximum velocities experienced during a tidal cycle half way along the channel are towards the west with a probability of values exceeding 160 cm s−1 for 10 min in 5·4 days. Copyright © 1975, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved