Storm surges in stratified seas

Abstract

The theory of storm surges along a straight coast in case of a continuously stratified sea of constant depth is considered.

The stratification is shown to have no appreciable effect on the surge at the coast, which therefore is mainly a barotropic response. The internal response at the coast which depends strongly on stratification is found to be extremely sensitive to how the turbulent stress depends on depth. Moreover, it is argued that in relatively deep water the internal response is substantially influenced by bottom friction, whereas the storm surge is not. A solution based on this assumption is presented.