The Sewerage of Sea Coast Towns by Adams, Henry C., 1873-1952

The mobility of the water around the earth causes it to be very sensitive to the varying attraction of the sun and moon, due to the alterations from time to time in the relative positions of the three bodies. Fig. [Footnote: Plate I] shows diagrammatically the condition of the water in the Southern Ocean when the sun and moon are in the positions occupied at the time of new moon. The tide at A is due to the sum of the attractions of the sun and moon less the effect due to the excess of the centripetal force over centrifugal force. The tide at C is due to the excess of the centrifugal force over the centripetal force. These tides are known as "spring" tides. Fig. 2 [Footnote: Plate I] shows the positions occupied at the time of full moon. The tide at A is due to the attraction of the sun plus the effect due to the excess of the centrifugal force over the centripetal force. The tide at C is due to the attraction of the moon less the effect due to the excess of the centripetal force over centrifugal force. These tides are also known as "spring" tides. Fig. 3 [Footnote: Plate I] shows the positions occupied when the moon is in the first quarter; the position at the third quarter being similar, except that the moon would then be on the side of the earth nearest to B, The tide at A is compounded of high water of the solar tide superimposed upon low water of the lunar tide, so that the sea is at a higher level than in the case of the low water of spring tides. The tide at D is due to the attraction of the moon less the excess of centripetal force over centrifugal force, and the tide at B is due to the excess of centrifugal force over centripetal force. These are known as "neap" tides, and, as the sun is acting in opposition to the moon, the height of high water is considerably less than at the time of spring tides. The tides are continually varying between these extremes according to the alterations in the attracting forces, but the joint high tide lies nearer to the crest of the lunar than of the solar tide. It is obvious that, if the attracting force of the sun and moon were equal, the height of spring tides would be double that due to each body separately, and that there would be no variation in the height of the sea at the time of neap tides.