Continuous seiche in bays and harbors

Abstract

Seiches are often considered a transitory phenomenon wherein large amplitude water level oscillations are excited by a geophysical event, eventually dissipating some time after the event. However, continuous small-amplitude seiches have recently been recognized presenting a question as to the origin of continuous forcing. We examine 6 bays around the Pacific where continuous seiches are evident, and based on spectral, modal and kinematic analysis suggest that tidally-forced shelf-resonances are a primary driver of continuous seiches.