Storm surge and tidal interaction in the Tjeldsund channel, northern Norway

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate tide–surge interaction in narrow channels with complex and relatively shallow topography. A high-resolution depth-integrated tidal and storm surge model has been implemented for the Tjeldsund channel which is an important sailing lane in northern Norway. A horizontal grid resolution down to 50 m is applied in order to represent the complex bottom topography and the formation of jets and small-scale eddies. Two typically storm surge events in December 2004 have been examined in detail. The tide–surge interaction is found to influence the generation of higher harmonics and the formation of eddies in the current field. In some cases, the magnitude of storm surge currents may reach the same magnitude as the tidal currents enhancing the formation of jets and eddies.