New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Generation of 2-3-hour oscillations on the east coast of New Zealand

R. A. HEATH

New Zealand Oceanographic Institute Department of Scientific and Industrial Research P.O. Box 12-346 Wellington North, New Zealand

Abstract Observed sea-surface oscillations with periods of about 2.5 hours in New Zealand east coast harbours have previously been regarded as a response to edge waves on the continental shelf and slope, generated by atmospheric forcing and occasionally by tsunamis (Heath 1976, 1979). Calculations of the longshore wavelengths of the edge waves associated with the bathymetry of the east coast continental shelf and slope, and the Chatham Rise (a rise extending 1000 km perpendicular to the east coast of South Island), suggests that the Chatham Rise also takes part in the generation mechanism by acting as a three-quarter wavelength aerial to double-sided edge waves.

Keywords Water waves; standing waves; physical oceanography; wave period; tsunamis; wavelength; Lyttelton Harbour

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1982, Vol. 16 : 111-117Received 18 August 1981; revised 14 January 1982

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (414K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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