Preliminary study of the tidal heights and currents of the estuarine region of Cananéia (25ºS-48ºW)

Abstract

A preliminary study of tidal height and tidal current data from Cananéia region made through harmonic and spectral analysis shows different amplifications and phase delays of the principal tidal components inwards the estuary. M3 tidal component is particularly amplified in Mar de Cananéia - Mar Pequeno, probably because of near-resonance conditions in the channel. Tidal currents in Mar de Cubatâo and Mar de Cananéia show, besides the semidiurnal components, significative presence of M3 and M4 constituents. Residual current spectra show two main peaks: one, of tidal frequency, attributed to tidal pumping; another, of subtidal frequency, attributed to a long-period cumulative effect, associated to the estuary mean level variation.