ABSTRACT
The transport, sedimentation, and erosion of sediments in intertidal areas is the result of the interaction between advection and dispersion due to the current field and the bottom sediment processes. Tidal flow usually dominates in intertidal areas, but in exposed shallow areas, the wind can profoundly alter the tidal circulation. The flow field in the tidal channels of a tidal basin can be considered to consist of a large-scale part that varies depending on the scale of the entire basin, and a small- scale part that varies more locally. The tides in intertidal areas are co-oscillating with the tides on the shelf and the ocean. The tides are generated by astronomical forces in the deep oceans, where they have a typical amplitude of 10 cm. Subsequently the tidal wave propagates over the shelf where the geometry of the shelf determines the resulting tidal curve at the entrance of intertidal areas.
