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Extreme sea level events in the coastal waters of western Estonia
Suursaar, Ü.; Kullas, T.; Otsmann, M.; Kõuts, T. (2003). Extreme sea level events in the coastal waters of western Estonia. J. Sea Res. 49(4): 295-303. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1385-1101(03)00022-4
In: Journal of Sea Research. Elsevier/Netherlands Institute for Sea Research: Amsterdam; Den Burg. ISSN 1385-1101; e-ISSN 1873-1414, more
Also appears in:
Ohlson, M.; Omstedt, A.; Turner, D. (Ed.) (2003). Proceedings of the 22nd Conference of the Baltic Oceanographers (CBO), Stockholm, Sweden, 25-29 November 2001. Journal of Sea Research, 49(4). Elsevier: Amsterdam. 227-374 pp., more
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
Keywords
    Atmospheric forcing
    Modelling
    Physics > Mechanics > Fluid mechanics > Hydrodynamics
    Surges > Surface water waves > Storm surges
    Temporal variations > Long-term changes > Sea level changes
    ANE, Baltic, Riga Gulf [Marine Regions]; ANE, Estonia, Narva Bay [Marine Regions]; ANE, Estonia, Paernu Bay [Marine Regions]; ANE, Estonia, West-Estonian Archipelago [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    sea level; 2D models; storm surges; oscillations; resonance; Baltic Sea
Authors  Top 
  • Suursaar, Ü.
  • Kullas, T.
  • Otsmann, M.
  • Kõuts, T.
Abstract
    Extraordinarily low and high sea level events are analysed on the basis of historical data and their mechanisms of occurrence are studied with the 1 km grid size 2D hydrodynamic model in the two almost tideless semi-enclosed sub-basins of the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Riga and the Väinameri. The sea level is modelled with realistic meteorological forcing and comparison data from 1999 and 2001. Resonance properties of the sub-basins are studied and their possible role in the formation of extraordinary sea level events is discussed. While the extremely low levels (-1.23 m below the mean sea level) in the Estonian coastal waters do not generally originate locally, the high levels (up to 2.53 m above the mean as measured in the Pärnu Bay) are short-term and local. They occur in combination with several forcing and morphometrical factors and are localised in the shallow and narrow bays exposed to the direction of the strongest possible storm winds, SW and W. Model simulations show that extremely high and low sea levels in some small bays of western Estonia can exceed the corresponding values in the Pärnu Bay.
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