On the tidal dynamics of the North Sea : an idealised modelling study on the role of bottom friction, the Dover Strait and tidal resonance in the North Sea

This thesis is a study on the tidal dynamics of the North Sea, and in particular on the role of bottom friction, the Dover Strait and tidal resonance in the North Sea. The North Sea is one of the world’s largest shelf seas, located on the European continent. There is an extensive interest in its tide, as coastal safety, navigation and ecology are all affected by it. The tide in the North Sea is a co-oscillating response to the tides generated in the North Atlantic Ocean. Tidal waves enter the North Sea through the northern boundary with the North Atlantic Ocean and through the Dover Strait. Elements which play a possible important role on the tidal dynamics are bottom friction, basin geometry, the Dover Strait and tidal resonance. The objective of this study is to understand the large-scale amphidromic system of the North Sea, and in particular (1) the role of bottom friction, basin geometry and the Dover Strait on North Sea tide and (2) the resonant properties of the Southern Bigh