The Identification and Generation of Meteotsunamis on the Southern North Sea

Abstract

In this thesis, the identification and generation of meteotsunamis on the Southern North Sea are investigated. Although meteotsunamis are well known in other areas, hardly any research has been done on them near the Dutch Coast. Here, nine years of sea level elevation data are evaluated using the classic approach and a subsequent wavelet analysis to identify a list of potential meteotsunamis. Six of those events have been selected, for which the atmospheric conditions were simulated by WRF. To definitively classify them as meteotsunamis, a pressure jump and atmospheric front responsible for the generation are identified. The six events are characterized by computation of their angle of incidence, wave period, and wave height, and are checked for the probability of Proudman resonance. The six selected events were all linked to a pressure jump and an atmospheric front, and thus classified as meteotsunamis. Two events propagated from the North-West and the other four from the South through the English Channel. The wave periods varied between 10 and 25 minutes, and the wave heights varied around 0.20 meters, with a maximum wave height of 0.63 meters. Three events were linked to a front propagating overseas, all of which had a high probability that Proudman resonance contributed to their amplification. These results form a foundation for future research on meteotsunamis on the Southern North Sea.