A mechanistic classification of double tides

Abstract. Double high or low tides are usually explained by adding a higher harmonic to the dominating tide. In its simplest form, the criterion for a double tide is that the amplitude ratio between the higher harmonic and the dominating constituent is larger than 1/n² where n is the ratio of their periods. However, it is not always clear how the higher harmonic becomes large enough to generate the double tide. This is rectified here by identifying three possible ways to enhance the higher harmonic enough to produce a double tide. Using TPXO9, the latest version of the altimetry constrained global tide database, potential locations for all three classes are identified and the existence of double tides are then evaluated using historic long-term tide gauge data from nearby locations. Thirteen locations with double tides were identified this way across the classes, of which seven are discussed further and shown to fit the classification scheme. The search criterion for classes 1 and 2, based on the amplitudes of M2, S2, and M4, work well with TPXO9 and suggests over 400 locations with double tides. The main reason we cannot identify more double tide locations is a lack of TG data, especially in the polar areas. Class 3, which requires an embayment resonant for the higher harmonic initially provided over 8000 potential locations, but only a few of these were in embayments. This class thus requires more manual work to identify the locations. It is concluded that the mechanism behind double tides in most textbooks needs to be revised because they are far more frequent in both space and time than previously thought.