How the Moon Affects the Tides
The term tides refers to the rising and falling of sea level with respect to land. Have you ever thought about what causes this movement of the ocean though? The answer is the gravitational pulls of the moon, sun and Earth. Due to the fact that the moon is much closer to the Earth than the sun, its gravitational pull is stronger. In today's blog, Big Bags USA® discusses how the moon affects the tides and what that means in terms of flood risk.
While the moon's gravitational pull isn't strong enough to move anything on land, the same doesn't go for water. As the Earth rotates, the distance between the Earth and the moon in any particular given spot changes. That change in distance affects the amount of gravitational pull the moon has on that particular area. The moon's pull is strongest at whichever spot of Earth is closest to it, and this causes the water to bulge toward the moon. These areas where bulging occurs experience high tide, while the other areas experience low tide. Water on the opposite side of Earth facing away from the moon also bulges outward because the centrifugal force is greater than the moon's gravitational pull.
When the sun and moon are aligned, during new and full moons, the gravitational pull on the Earth's bodies of water is even stronger. This causes very high and very low tides known as "spring tides." This has nothing to do with the season, but gets its name from the fact that the water "springs" higher than normal. When the sun and moon are not aligned but rather perpendicular, the forces cancel each other out and the pull is not as strong. This causes less dramatic tides known as neap tides to occur during the moon's quarter phases.
In some coastal communities, the spring tides can cause flooding in low-lying areas. Fortunately, these tidal flooding events are typically minor. However, when strong winds, rainfall and storms coincide with high tides, even more extensive and damaging floods can result. Changes in our environment will largely drive the pace of sea level rise and flooding over the next several decades. Increased tidal flooding is inevitable, and now is the time to start preparing.
While more permanent solutions such as sea walls and natural buffers may be needed, Big Bags USA® is here to help with the current flood protection needs! Whether you're in need of immediate flood control products or you'd like to build a levee, dam, etc, Big Bags USA® construction barriers are the solution. They can handle the highest demands at a fraction of the costs associated with rapid deployed systems. Give us a call at 800-337-0537 for more information on our flood barrier systems and what they could do for you and your community as far as flood protection goes!
Lunar Tides
While the moon's gravitational pull isn't strong enough to move anything on land, the same doesn't go for water. As the Earth rotates, the distance between the Earth and the moon in any particular given spot changes. That change in distance affects the amount of gravitational pull the moon has on that particular area. The moon's pull is strongest at whichever spot of Earth is closest to it, and this causes the water to bulge toward the moon. These areas where bulging occurs experience high tide, while the other areas experience low tide. Water on the opposite side of Earth facing away from the moon also bulges outward because the centrifugal force is greater than the moon's gravitational pull.
Spring Tides vs. Neap Tides
When the sun and moon are aligned, during new and full moons, the gravitational pull on the Earth's bodies of water is even stronger. This causes very high and very low tides known as "spring tides." This has nothing to do with the season, but gets its name from the fact that the water "springs" higher than normal. When the sun and moon are not aligned but rather perpendicular, the forces cancel each other out and the pull is not as strong. This causes less dramatic tides known as neap tides to occur during the moon's quarter phases.
Tides and Flood Risk
In some coastal communities, the spring tides can cause flooding in low-lying areas. Fortunately, these tidal flooding events are typically minor. However, when strong winds, rainfall and storms coincide with high tides, even more extensive and damaging floods can result. Changes in our environment will largely drive the pace of sea level rise and flooding over the next several decades. Increased tidal flooding is inevitable, and now is the time to start preparing.
Big Bags USA® Tidal Flooding Protection
While more permanent solutions such as sea walls and natural buffers may be needed, Big Bags USA® is here to help with the current flood protection needs! Whether you're in need of immediate flood control products or you'd like to build a levee, dam, etc, Big Bags USA® construction barriers are the solution. They can handle the highest demands at a fraction of the costs associated with rapid deployed systems. Give us a call at 800-337-0537 for more information on our flood barrier systems and what they could do for you and your community as far as flood protection goes!
If you have an immediate need for our systems, or have any questions for us, please Call us Toll Free at 1-800-337-0537 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.
If you have an immediate need for our systems, or have any questions for us, please Call us Toll Free at 1-800-337-0537 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.
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