On mean sea‐level along the Brazilian coast

Abstract

Summary. (Part 1) Fourier analyses of mean monthly sea‐level data from Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador and Imbituba, ports on the Brazilian coast, are made with simultaneous data of air temperature, sea surface atmospheric pressure, atmospheric precipitation and evaporation. Results show that the mean monthly sea‐levels of ports below Recife's latitude show peaks in February‐March and April‐May which are apparently related to the seasonal temperature changes and the combined action of precipitation, winds and oceanographic large‐scale changes. The port of Belém showed a stronger semi‐annual seasonal component, which seems to be related to the alternate southern and northern hemispheres’ influences of the atmospheric precipitation. (Part 2 of the paper presented at the Symposium concerned the longer term changes of sea‐level, including an analysis of principal components. These subjects will be treated in a separate paper.) Copyright © 1986, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved