Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2997
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2997
02 Jan 2024
 | 02 Jan 2024

Could old tide gauges help estimate past atmospheric variability?

Paul Platzer, Pierre Tandeo, Pierre Ailliot, and Bertrand Chapron

Abstract. The storm surge is the non-tidal component of coastal sea-level. It responds to the atmosphere both through the direct effect of atmospheric pressure on the sea-surface, and through Ekman transport induced by wind-stress. Tide gauges have been used to measure the sea-level in coastal cities for centuries, with many records dating back to the 19th-century or even further, at times when direct pressure observations were scarce. Therefore, these old tide gauge records may be used as indirect observations of sub-seasonal atmospheric variability, complementary to other sensors such as barometers. To investigate this claim, the present work relies on tide gauge records of Brest and Saint-Nazaire, two portal cities in western France, and on the members of NOAA's 20th-century reanalysis (20CRv3) which only assimilates surface pressure observations and uses numerical weather prediction model. Using simple statistical relationships between storm surges and pressure maps, we show that the tide gauge records reveal part of the 19th-century atmospheric variability that was uncaught by the pressure-observations-based reanalysis. In particular, weighing the 80 reanalysis members based on tide gauge observations indicates that a large number of members are very unlikely, which induces corrections of several tens of Hectopascals in the Bay of Biscay. These findings support the use of early tide gauge records in sensor-scarce areas, both to validate old atmospheric reanalyses and to better probe old atmospheric sub-seasonal variability.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

10 Oct 2024
Could old tide gauges help estimate past atmospheric variability?
Paul Platzer, Pierre Ailliot, Bertrand Chapron, and Pierre Tandeo
Clim. Past, 20, 2267–2286, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-2267-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-2267-2024, 2024
Short summary
Paul Platzer, Pierre Tandeo, Pierre Ailliot, and Bertrand Chapron

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2997', Anonymous Referee #1, 29 Jan 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Paul Platzer, 13 May 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2997', Anonymous Referee #2, 07 Feb 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Paul Platzer, 13 May 2024

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2997', Anonymous Referee #1, 29 Jan 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Paul Platzer, 13 May 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2023-2997', Anonymous Referee #2, 07 Feb 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Paul Platzer, 13 May 2024

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (17 May 2024) by Alessio Rovere
AR by Paul Platzer on behalf of the Authors (21 May 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (04 Jun 2024) by Alessio Rovere
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (21 Jun 2024)
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (23 Jun 2024)
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (01 Jul 2024) by Alessio Rovere
AR by Paul Platzer on behalf of the Authors (06 Aug 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (19 Aug 2024) by Alessio Rovere
AR by Paul Platzer on behalf of the Authors (20 Aug 2024)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

10 Oct 2024
Could old tide gauges help estimate past atmospheric variability?
Paul Platzer, Pierre Ailliot, Bertrand Chapron, and Pierre Tandeo
Clim. Past, 20, 2267–2286, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-2267-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-2267-2024, 2024
Short summary
Paul Platzer, Pierre Tandeo, Pierre Ailliot, and Bertrand Chapron
Paul Platzer, Pierre Tandeo, Pierre Ailliot, and Bertrand Chapron

Viewed

Total article views: 492 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
358 99 35 492 21 22
  • HTML: 358
  • PDF: 99
  • XML: 35
  • Total: 492
  • BibTeX: 21
  • EndNote: 22
Views and downloads (calculated since 02 Jan 2024)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 02 Jan 2024)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 484 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 484 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 10 Oct 2024
Download

The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
Old observations are necessary to understand the atmosphere. When direct observations are not available, one can use indirect observations such as tide gauges, which measure the sea-level in portal cities. The sea level rises when local air pressure decreases, and when wind pushes water towards the coast. Several centuries-long tide gauge records are available. We show that these can be complementary to direct pressure observations for studying storms and anticyclones in the 19th century.