A theoretical study of large sea level oscillations in the western Mediterranean

Abstract

Large sea level oscillations (up to 1‐m amplitude and around 10‐min period) have been observed in several bays and harbors of the western Mediterranean. These oscillations appear to be associated with short‐period (10 min) atmospheric pressure fluctuations (amplitude of 1.5 mbar). Using a model with a flat shelf and a sloping‐bottom harbor, we found that these oscillations were the result of a three‐way resonant coupling between an atmospheric gravity wave, a coastally trapped edge wave, and the normal modes of a harbor. The amplification mechanism was studied for the harbor of Ciutadella. Good agreement between the predicted and the observed frequencies and amplitudes is found.