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Re: TIDES, was Asteroid Problem



Kossom wrote (in part):

1. Why does much of the Gulf of Mexico experience only one
high and low tide per day, rather than the usual two?

2. Why does Lake Ponchatrain (a relatively large, but shallow
bay with avery small connection to the Gulf) not experience
tides of its own?

It would be wise, in opinion, to understand ideal tides (on a
planet covered entirely by a deep ocean) before answering such
questions. Let me borrow a quotation used by Jim Green:

<http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen>.

It is a statement by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Although the acting forces are well understood, the resultant tidal movement
is exceedingly complicated because of the irregular distribution of land and
water of the Earth and the retarding effects of friction and inertia. Contrary to
the popular idea of a progressive tidal wave following the Moon around the
Earth, the basic tidal movement as evidenced by observations at numerous
points along the shores of the oceans consists of a number of oscillating
areas, the movement being somewhat similar to that in a pan of water that
has been tilted. Such oscillations are technically known as stationary waves.
------------------------------------------------
Ludwik Kowalski