Ocean tide is a periodic sea-level oscillation driven primarily by the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun acting on Earth’s oceans, modulated by Earth’s rotation and the configuration of ocean basins. It manifests as propagating tidal waves with characteristic constituents (e.g., M2, S2, K1) describable by harmonic analysis. Tidal dynamics are governed by the shallow-water equations on a rotating sphere, incorporating Coriolis effects, coastal and seafloor topography, and resonance within semi-enclosed basins. Ocean tides play a fundamental role in coastal hydrodynamics, mixing, sediment transport, and energy dissipation in the Earth–Moon system.
Standing on the coast and looking out to sea, you cannot detect the changes with the naked eye. But in northern Germany, sea levels are rising, as is the risk of flooding for the lower-lying coastal regions.
Earth Sciences
Feb 23, 2026
0
0
I grew up on the beaches of Pembrokeshire in south-west Wales. Visits to Tenby were my family's summer ritual: sand between our toes, paddling in rockpools, strawberry syrup on ice cream.
Environment
Feb 13, 2026
0
0
When most of us look out at the ocean, we see a mostly flat blue surface stretching to the horizon. It's easy to imagine the sea beneath as calm and largely static—a massive, still abyss far removed from everyday experience.
Earth Sciences
Jan 29, 2026
0
5
Over Christmas, vegetables, bananas and insulation foam washed up on beaches along England's southeast coast. They were from 16 containers spilled by the cargo ship Baltic Klipper in rough seas. In the new year, a further ...
Environment
Jan 24, 2026
0
109
When hurricanes or strong storms sweep up the United States' East Coast and meet the shores of the country's largest estuary, Chesapeake Bay, the familiar pattern of storm activity gets a little more complicated. A new study, ...
Imagine you're walking along a beach, talking to your friend, enjoying the sunshine. Time goes by and it's time to head back. But as you approach the headland you had walked around previously, you realize that's not possible ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 20, 2025
0
10
These recent sunny days bring the last chances to access the Rhode Island coastline before chillier weather sets in, though that won't keep Jesse Reiblich away. When he's not in or around the water—as an avid surfer, diver, ...
Environment
Oct 8, 2025
0
0
One of the most heartbreaking occurrences for nature lovers is to discover a beached marine mammal such as a dolphin or whale. If the animal is still alive, marine biologists assisted by citizen volunteers try to protect ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 2, 2025
0
17
Antarctic ice is melting. But exactly which forces are causing it to melt and how melting will influence sea level rise are areas of active research. Understanding the decay of ice shelves, which extend off the edges of the ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 8, 2025
0
6
Ocean tides can trigger city-sized icebergs to break off from Antarctic ice shelves, scientists said on Thursday, offering a potential way to predict these dramatic events in the future.
Earth Sciences
Jul 24, 2025
0
62
