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1. Marine Resource ManagementHydrographic Module Tides
Dave Whitcombe 
2. Learning Outcomes Why do we need to know about Tides
Tidal Forces
 How/Why are Tides Generated
Tide Measurement Methods
Tidal Levels and Datums
Tidal Prediction
Tidal Streams 
3. Why do we bother about tides? 
4. The price of getting it wrong .. 
5. Why Do We Need to Observe Tides? When we measure depth it is from a moving platform
A Vessel Mounted Echo Sounder
The vessel will move relative to the seabed due to :-
Waves
Tidal Rise and Fall
We need to remove the effect of tide so as to:-
Establish a fixed height reference irrespective of:-
Time
Date
Geographical locations
Changes in Sea Level
 
6. Tide Generation Due to Moon/Sun Gravitational Pull
Moon Period	24 hours 50 mins
Sun Period 	24 hours Days
Actual Tides Result from the Resultant Positions of Sun and Moon
Complete Tidal Cycle 	29 days	 
7. Tidal Variation Springs Neaps
Give Maximum Tidal Range
Highest HW/Lowest LW
Neaps
Give Minimum Tidal Range
Lowest HW/Highest LW
Equinox/Solstice
Sun/Moon on equal /opposite declination
Maximum Range/Minimum Range
21st March/September - 21st June/December
 
8. Springs and Neaps Cycle 
9. Real Tides(1) External Influences - Distortions
Land/Coastline
Weather
Pressure - 10mb = 0.1m change in MSL
Wind - Piling up against shore
Storm Surges: Long Period/High Amplitude
Seiches: Short Period/Low Amplitude
Shallow Water
Currents
 
10. Real Tides(1) 
 
11. Resonance Natural Period of Resonance
Combination of Tidal Cycle + Resonance
Atlantic - 12 hours = Semi-Diurnal
Pacific - 24 hours = Diurnal
N/S of 65o Tides are Diurnal but
Gulf of Mexico = Diurnal
North Cape Norway = Semi-Diurnal	 
Semi-Diurnal		2HW + 2LW per day
Diurnal		1HW + 1LW per day 
12. Tidal Periods 
13. Tide Gauges To measure Rise and Fall of Tide at a Fixed Location
Tide Pole
Float Gauge
Bubbler Gauge
Microwave/Acoustic Gauge
For Offshore Tide Measurements 
U/W Pressure Transducer
 
14. Tide Gauges UK National Network  
 
15. Aberdeen Tide Gauge  
 
16. Tidal Levels and Datums Tide Datum Related to Land Datum
In UK = Ordnance Datum Newlyn
Equivalent to MSL 1915-1921 - Has risen by ~0.15m
MSL- Mean Sea Level
Basic Reference level for all tidal measurements	
Obtained by:-
Mean of all Tide Readings over a long Period
e.g. 30 days to 18.6 years
MTL - Mean Tide Level
NOT = MSL
Mean of all HW and LW - not all tide readings
 
17. Tidal Levels MHWS/MLWS
Mean High/Low Water Springs
Maximum Tidal Range Occurring at Spring Tides
MHWN/MLWN
Mean High/Low Water Neaps
Minimum Tidal Range Occurring at Neap Tides
MHHW/MLLW
Mean High High Water/Mean Low Low Water
Where Tide is Diurnal 
18. Tidal Datums LAT - Lowest Astronomical Tide
Lowest Tide Level Predicted to Occur
Due only to Astronomical Conditions - Not Weather
Sounding Datum
Height Level to Which Soundings are Reduced in the Field I.e. during the survey operations
Chart Datum
Height Level to Which Soundings are Reduced on the Chart I.e. as defined by Hydrographic Dept.
Defined as level below which the tide will very seldom fall 
19. Datums Along an Open Coast 
20. Sounding Datums in an Estuary 
21. Reduction of Soundings 
22. Tide Levels and Definitions 
23. Predicting Tides Harmonic Method
Rigorous Mathematical Formula 
Admiralty Method
At Primary Port - from published Admiralty Tide Tables
At Secondary Ports - modifications - Simplified Harmonic
Tidal Differences and Ratios - Co-Tides
Establish Datum for Soundings in Offshore Areas
Use Co-Tidal Chart to Predict Tidal Information at Sea
Co-Tidal Lines	MHWI	Equal Time of HW
Co-Range Lines	MSR	Equal Tidal Range
Relative to Nearest Standard Port 
24. Example of Tide Prediction at Standard Port 
25. Predicting Co-Tides for Positions at Sea To Obtain Tides at Location:-
Compute Tide Heights/Times for Standard Port
Add Time Difference to Standard Port Times
Multiply Standard Port Heights by Range Ratio 
26. Tidal Streams/Currents Currents are mainly due to Meteorological Conditions
Mainly Wind
Tidal Streams result from:-
Astronomical Conditions
Horizontal Progression/Movement of Water
Effects of Coastline - Channels/Seabed Topography
Effect of Wind
Tidal Stream Published Information :- 
Admiralty Charts
Tidal Stream Atlases
Sailing Directions
 
27. UK Tidal Stream Diagram 
28. Tidal Stream Prediction From Admiralty Tide Tables
Tide Stream Diamonds
Table of Velocities and Directions
Related to Time of HW at Local Standard Port 
29. Tidal Stream Prediction Example 
30. Tides - More information