Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada
Volume 11, Número 3, Setembro 2011, Páginas 307-314

DOI: 10.5894/rgci277
Submission: April 12, 2011; Evaluation: May 27, 2011; Reception of revised version: June 13, 2011; Accepted: June 29, 2011; Available on-line: August 2, 2011

Sea-level rise and local tidal range changes in coastal embayments: An added complexity in developing reliable sea-level index points

Elevação do nível do mar e variações locais da amplitude da maré em reentrâncias costeiras: uma complexidade suplementar no estabelecimento de pontos fidedignos indicativos do nível do mar

Eduardo Leorri ^{@, 1}, Ryan Mulligan ², David Mallinson ¹, Alejandro Cearreta ³

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@ - Corresponding author: [email protected]
1 - Department of Geological Sciences, East Carolina University, Graham Building, Room 101, Greenville, NC  27858-4353, USA.
2 - Department of Geological Sciences, East Carolina University, Graham Building, Room 101, Greenville, NC  27858-4353, USA. Current address: Department of Civil Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6 Canada.
3 - Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain.

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ABSTRACT
This paper re-evaluates the late Holocene sea-level reconstructions from Delaware Bay and assesses the possible effect of tidal range changes over the last 4000 years. Previous work suggested that the differences found between the northern and southern areas of the Delaware Bay (USA) could be explained by isostatic rebound. However, our results derived from tidal modeling suggest that at least 25% of this difference could be explained by changes in the tidal range due to amplification or attenuation of tidal waves over shallower bathymetry. Furthermore, indications of large changes of the tidal range over short distances might suggest that integration of sea-level index points from different areas should be performed with caution. New sea-level trend estimates have been calculated at 1.17±0.2 mm yr-1 in the southern area, and 1.55±0.2 mm yr-1 in the north.

Keywords: Holocene, sea level, tidal range, estuary, Atlantic Ocean.

 

RESUMO
Neste trabalho reavalia-se a reconstituição da subida do nível médio do mar, em Delaware Bay (EUA), e o possível efeito das variações da amplitude das marés ao longo dos últimos 4000 anos. Vários autores consideram que as diferenças registadas entre as zonas norte e sul desta baía, podem ser explicadas por um fenómeno de ressalto isostático. No entanto os nossos resultados, obtidos a partir de modelação das marés, sugerem que pelo menos 25% desta diferença pode ser explicada por alterações da amplitude das marés, devido à amplificação ou à atenuação das ondas de maré contra uma batimetria pouco profunda. Além do mais, as grandes variações da amplitude das marés obtidas, quando estabelecidas em distâncias curtas, sugerem que a integração dos marcadores do nível do mar de áreas diferentes deve de ser feita com precaução. As estimativas agora obtidas para a subida do nível do mar em Delaware Bay, correspondem a 1,17 ± 0,2 mm ano-1 na zona sul e a 1,55 ± 0,2 mm ano-1 na zona norte da baía.

Palavras chave: Holocénico, nível do mar, amplitude das marés, estuário, Oceano Atlântico.

 

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