Tidal influence on high frequency harbor oscillations in a narrow entrance bay
Monserrat, S.; Fine, I.; Amores, A.; Marcos, M. (2015). Tidal influence on high frequency harbor oscillations in a narrow entrance bay, in: Vilibic, I. et al. Meteorological tsunamis: The U.S. East Coast and other coastal regions. pp. 143-153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12712-5_8 In: Vilibic, I.; Montserrat, S.; Rabinovich, A.B. (Ed.) (2015). Meteorological tsunamis: The U.S. East Coast and other coastal regions. Previously published in Natural Hazards, Volume 74, Issue 1, 2014. Springer: Cham. ISBN 978-3-319-12711-8. 303 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12712-5, more |
| Keyword | | | Author keywords | Seiche Meteotsunami Wells harbor Tides |
| Authors | | Top | - Monserrat, S.
- Fine, I.
- Amores, A.
- Marcos, M.
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| Abstract | High frequency sea level oscillations at Wells Harbor (Maine, Northeastern US), with periods in the range of several tens of minutes, display a tidally modulated response. During low tides, these sea level oscillations reach amplitudes of 10–20 cm, while during high tides they are significantly smaller. Wells Harbor is located in a low lying area with a tidal range of about 2 m and is connected to the open ocean through a narrow channel. Thus, the extent and depth of the bay significantly vary over a tidal cycle. This changing geometry determines both the resonant periods and the amplification factor of the bay. Numerical results confirm the link between observed variability and these specific topographic features. Results imply that when exceptionally energetic long waves reach the Wells Harbor entrance (as in the case of a tsunami or meteotsunami) the expected response will be significantly stronger during low tide than during high tide. Although mean sea level would be lower in the former case, the currents inside the bay would be stronger and potentially more dangerous. This tidally modulated response could be extrapolated to other sites with similar topographic characteristics. |
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