Two Ocean Tides per Day: Why?

Abstract

Ocean semi-diurnal tides are suggested qualitatively to be more accurately explained by the vertical tide generating forces of the sun and moon, not by the historically standard horizontal components. It is proposed that the sea level elevations created sequentially at the eastern and then western ocean coastal boundaries propagate seaward as shallow water sur face gravity waves and interact without mutual disturbance. In that manner two tides per day are created. Horizontal tide forces generate horizontal ocean currents with speeds of 5 mph at the most. Shallow water tide waves move at about 500 mph in open waters and therefore come much closer to being in tune with the sun and moon transiting across the sky.