Megatides in the Arctic Ocean under glacial conditions
Article first published online: 29 APR 2008
Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume 35, Issue 8, April 2008
How to Cite
2008), Megatides in the Arctic Ocean under glacial conditions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L08605, doi:10.1029/2008GL033263., and (
- Issue published online: 29 APR 2008
- Article first published online: 29 APR 2008
- Manuscript Accepted: 28 MAR 2008
- Manuscript Revised: 11 MAR 2008
- Manuscript Received: 11 JAN 2008
 Over the history of the Earth, changes in ocean depth and coastal configuration have led to considerable variations in the pattern and amplitude of ocean tides. Here we perform global simulations of ocean tides for the Last Glacial Maximum, using new data sets for both ocean depth and density stratification. We show how the configuration of the Arctic Ocean, which was almost entirely enclosed by continents at that time, leads to the near-resonant excitation of large semi-diurnal tides. Under certain conditions, this previously unidentified Arctic tide is massively amplified in the Canadian Archipelago. Such tides may have played a role in destabilizing the coastal margins of North American ice sheets, with implications for rapid changes in the Earth's climate and ocean circulation.