A semi-implicit tidal model of the North European Continental Shelf

A semi-implicit scheme for the numerical solution of the shallow water equations is proposed. An example of successful application is the simulation of the major tidal constituent (M₂) on the European Shelf. Good agreement is found both qualitatively and quantitatively. The basic outlines of the method are presented and some practical aspects of computation are discussed. Apart from accuracy, compared to explicit or to existing semi-implicit schemes, this approach has another important feature: its economy and simplicity.