Oceanic tides are periodic sea-level oscillations driven primarily by the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun and the Earth’s rotation, expressed as propagating long waves in the ocean basins. They are described as equilibrium and dynamic tides, with the latter governed by the Laplace tidal equations that incorporate Coriolis effects, bathymetry, and basin geometry. Tides are decomposed into harmonic constituents (e.g., M2, S2, K1), each with distinct frequencies and phases, enabling precise tidal prediction. They play critical roles in coastal dynamics, mixing, and energy dissipation, and are significant for processes such as sediment transport and ocean circulation.
Florida State University research published in Science Advances demonstrates a new framework for predicting the motion of kilometer-scale underwater waves that complicate satellite readings of the ocean.
Earth Sciences
Jun 3, 2026
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Understanding the dynamics of how water moves is deceptively simple in concept and endlessly complex in practice. Real-world marine environments are anything but controlled: weather, seasons, and geography change constantly. ...
Earth Sciences
May 29, 2026
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You're an anaerobic microbe sunbathing on a Martian beach billions of years ago listening to the small waves hit the shoreline as you take in the perchlorates in the Martian regolith. This is because while Mars is warm and ...
Planetary Sciences
May 13, 2026
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A study led by Wageningen University & Research shows that human interventions have significantly changed tides in river estuaries over the past centuries. In many regions around the world, the difference between high and ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 24, 2026
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Powerful cyclones can push seawater miles inland, threatening densely populated communities and critical infrastructure built along coastal areas. A combination of exposure and complexity makes the Bay of Bengal in Southeast ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2026
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A new study by University of Hawai'i at Mānoa researchers revealed that Waikīkī is facing a fundamental shift in flood hazards as sea levels rise—transitioning from a flooding that is driven primarily by rainfall to events ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2026
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Both winds and tides inject energy into the ocean. Much of that energy is then transported up to thousands of miles by internal waves: large-scale underwater waves that can travel between ocean basins. Quantifying the amount ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 29, 2026
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Earthquakes occur when the tectonic plates of the Earth's crust shift, jolting past each other in a release of built-up tension. However, other natural forces can also influence seismic activity: Hydrological dynamics, like ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 25, 2026
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Tides not only affect regions along the coast, their periodic fluctuations are carried upstream inland through coastal rivers. River sections particularly affected by these tidal pulses are exposed to an increased risk of ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 18, 2026
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Climate change's rising seas may threaten tens of millions more people than scientists and government planners originally thought because of mistaken research assumptions on how high coastal waters already are, a new study ...
Environment
Mar 4, 2026
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