TIDAL RECTIFICATION IN THE PECONIC BAYS ESTUARY

Abstract Low-frequency currents from a total of fourteen moorings within the Peconic Bays Estuary were analyzed through frequency-domain empirical orthogonal functions with the objective of distinguishing spatially-coherent fluctuations at fortnightly periods associated with tidal rectification from synoptic-period fluctuations due to meteorological forcing. Results indicated that current fluctuations within the frequency band encompassing fortnightly periods were coherent only within a few distinct regions of the bay. These spatially coherent fluctuations were also highly coherent with demodulated sea level, apparently indicating tidal rectification in those areas. Current fluctuations within a frequency band centered on 0.275 cycles per day were spatially coherent over almost the entire bay and apparently forced by meteorologically-induced coastal sea level fluctuations.