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Anurag Sharma
It is the gravitation of the Moon and Sun that raises the tides, the energy in the
churning waters is extracted from the rotational energy of Earth spinning on its
axis. Near Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, a tiny portion of this energy is being
converted into commercial electrical energy in the only tidal power plant in the
Western Hemisphere. The peak output of the Annapolis Basin generator is 20
megawatts, about 1% of Nova Scotia's electrical power capacity.
Gravity is one major force that creates tides. In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton
explained that ocean tides result from the gravitational attraction of
the sun and moon on the oceans of the earth. The relationship between
the masses of the Earth, moon and sun and their distances to each
other play a critical role in affecting the Earth's tides.
Our sun is 27 million times larger than our moon. Based on its mass,
the sun's gravitational attraction to the Earth is more than 177 times
greater than that of the moon to the Earth. If tidal forces were based
solely on comparative masses, the sun should have a tide-generating
force that is 27 million times greater than that of the moon.
Tidal forces are based on the gravitational attractive force. With regard
to tidal forces on the Earth, the distance between two objects usually is
more critical than their masses. Tidal generating forces vary inversely
as the cube of the distance from the tide generating object.
Gravitational attractive forces only vary inversely to the square of the
distance between the objects.
However, the sun is 390 times further from the Earth than is the moon.
Thus, its tide-generating force is reduced by 3903, or about 59 million
times less than the moon. Because of these conditions, the suns tide-
The moon is a major influence on the Earths tides, but the sun
also generates considerable tidal forces. Solar tides are about half
as large as lunar tides and are expressed as a variation of lunar
tidal patterns, not as a separate set of tides. When the sun, moon,
and Earth are in alignment (at the time of the new or full moon),
the solar tide has an additive effect on the lunar tide, creating
extra-high high tides, and very low, low tidesboth commonly
called spring tides. One week later, when the sun and moon are
at right angles to each other, the solar tide partially cancels out
the lunar tide and produces moderate tides known as neap tides.
13 a day rotation
of moon compared
Moon Orbits the Earth but appears to rise
in the
to 15 per hour of
east and set in the west due to earths faster
earth rotation
--earth
rotates faster than
the moon revolves
around the earth
If the Earth were a perfect sphere without large continents, all areas
on the planet would experience two equally proportioned high and low
tides every lunar day. The large continents on the planet, however,
block the westward passage of the tidal bulges as the Earth rotates.
Unable to move freely around the globe, these tides establish complex
patterns within each ocean basin that often differ greatly from tidal
patterns of adjacent ocean basins or other regions of the same ocean
basin.
MHHW*
The average of the higher high water height of each tidal day observed over the National
Tidal Datum Epoch. For stations with shorter series, comparison of simultaneous
Mean Higher High observations with a control tide station is made in order to derive the equivalent datum
Water
of the National Tidal Datum Epoch.
The average of all the high water heights observed over the National Tidal Datum Epoch.
MHW
For stations with shorter series, comparison of simultaneous observations with a control
tide station is made in order to derive the equivalent datum of the National Tidal Datum
Mean High Water Epoch.
MSL
Mean Sea Level
MLW
Mean Low Water
MLLW*
Mean Lower Low
Water
Station Datum
National Tidal
Datum Epoch
The arithmetic mean of hourly heights observed over the National Tidal Datum Epoch.
Shorter series are specified in the name; e.g. monthly mean sea level and yearly mean
sea level.
The average of all the low water heights observed over the National Tidal Datum Epoch.
For stations with shorter series, comparison of simultaneous observations with a control
tide station is made in order to derive the equivalent datum of the National Tidal Datum
Epoch.
The average of the lower low water height of each tidal day observed over the National
Tidal Datum Epoch. For stations with shorter series, comparison of simultaneous
observations with a control tide station is made in order to derive the equivalent datum
of the National Tidal Datum Epoch.
A fixed base elevation at a tide station to which all water level measurements are
referred. The datum is unique to each station and is established at a lower elevation
than the water is ever expected to reach. It is referenced to the primary bench mark at
the station and is held constant regardless of changes to the water level gauge or tide
staff. The datum of tabulation is most often at the zero of the first tide staff installed.
The specific 19-year period adopted by the National Ocean Service as the official time
segment over which tide observations are taken and reduced to obtain mean values
(e.g., mean lower low water, etc.) for tidal datums. It is necessary for standardization
because of periodic and apparent secular trends in sea level. The present NTDE is 1983
through 2001 and is actively considered for revision every 20-25 years. Tidal datums in
certain regions with anomolous sea level changes (Alaska, Gulf of Mexico) are calculated
on a Modified 5-Year Epoch.