Understanding Tidal Waves: How They Form and Impact Our Coastlines

Tidal waves, also known as tides, have long fascinated humans with their seemingly magical ability to shape our coastlines and affect our daily lives. But what causes these powerful movements of the ocean's water? The answer lies in the complex interplay between the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

The reason for tidal waves is the Moon's 24-hour and 50-minute rotation around the Earth, which means it is over the same location 24 hours and 50 minutes later. This results in high tides occurring about twice a day, every 12 hours and 25 minutes. At neap tides, the tidal range is relatively small.

But how do these tides add up to create neap tides? The Moon's high tide occurs in the same place as the Sun's low tide, while its low tide occurs in the same place as the Sun's high tide. This happens exactly halfway between spring tides, when the Moon is at first or last quarter.

Neap tides are characterized by a relatively small tidal range and occur when the Earth, Moon, and Sun form a 90-degree angle. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides a simple diagram explaining this process in greater detail.

Spring tides, on the other hand, have a greater tidal range and occur whenever the Moon is in a new-moon or full-moon phase, about every 14 days. These more extreme tides result from the gravitational pull of both the Sun and Moon aligning in the same direction.

The combination of these gravitational forces causes water to appear as if it is moving a greater distance on a gentle slope than on a steep one. As a result, the tidal range in a location depends not only on the Moon's pull but also on factors such as the slope of the seafloor.

As the Earth rotates beneath the Moon, a single spot will experience two high tides and two low tides every day. The tidal range is the difference between the ocean level at high tide and the ocean level at low tide.

In conclusion, understanding tidal waves requires grasping the complex interplay between the Earth, Moon, and Sun. By recognizing how these forces combine to create neap and spring tides, we can better appreciate the dynamic nature of our coastlines and the importance of NOAA's research in this field.