Researchers from Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences have explained the nature of abnormally high tides in the Strait of Tartary in the Sea of ​​Japan. In the Sea of ​​Japan itself, the average tidal height is usually less than half a meter. However, in the northern Strait of Tartary, it increases to 2.2 meters. The results of the study were published in the prestigious scientific Journal of Marine Systems (Medvedev I., Shiryborova A. Seiches and tidal resonance in the Strait of Tartary // Journal of Marine Systems, 2026, Vol. 256, 104246, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2026.104246).

In the north of the Strait of Tatary , tidal heights reach 2.2 meters

The authors of the publication, Igor Medvedev and Arina Shiryborova, examined long-term observation archives. They performed a detailed analysis of hourly data from ten coastal stations over two decades. The analysis revealed that tidal resonance was the cause of the anomaly. It was found that the natural sea level oscillations (seiches) in the Strait of Tartary have a period of approximately 12.8 hours. This period is close to the main semidiurnal tidal periods (12.4–12.7 hours). The interaction of these waves causes the tidal height to increase sharply.

"The study assessed the quality factor of sea level oscillations in the Strait of Tatary. This parameter reflects the rate of attenuation of oscillations in the basin and the capacity of the water area to accumulate tidal energy. The Strait of Tatary is characterized by a quality factor of 13.7 to 16.2. This figure was significantly higher than in other areas of the world's oceans where resonant tides are observed. For example, in Canada's Bay of Fundy, which experiences some of the highest tides in the world's oceans, this parameter is only 5.25," explains Igor Medvedev, PhD in Physics and Mathematics and head of Solovyov Tsunami Laboratory at the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Studying abnormally high tides has both fundamental scientific value and significant practical implications for the region. Taking this data into account will help specialists more accurately predict extreme currents and sea level fluctuations. Scientists' calculations are essential for the safe design of ports and the protection of coastal infrastructure.