Paul saw the sea makes us seesaw
A NEW study of Portsmouth hopes to reveal how the city rises and falls on a daily basis – because of the sea.
Paul Grant, a student at the University of Portsmouth, is mapping how far Portsea Island physically moves each day for his geography degree project.
Mr Grant explains: 'Because Portsmouth is separated from mainland Britain the tides cause us to rise and fall a few centimetres daily.
'What happens is that the volume of water on our beaches at high tide causes the island to be pushed down.'
Mr Grant, of Furze Lane, Milton, was inspired to investigate Portsmouth's tidal movements after a study in Brittany, northern France, showed it rising and falling two to three inches a day.
Over the next three months, the 20-year-old will use 25,000 worth of sat-nav equipment borrowed from the university to gather his results.
'I have one base set up on Fort Purbrook, which will not move because it is part of the fixed mainland, and another base on top of Southsea Castle,' he said.
'The two devices link together to tell me exactly how much the base on the castle has risen and fallen with every high and low tide.'
He added: 'I grew up in Swindon, so wanted to come to Portsmouth and make the most of the sea. This study is just for my own interest really.'
But the findings could have wider implications for the academic world, says his tutor Dr Peter Collier.
'There are similar studies going on of the effect of the River Tyne on Newcastle and Mersey on Liverpool so we thought it would be good to find out what happens to Portsmouth,' he said.
'The findings may be publishable in a scientific journal because they will have a bearing on the accuracy of past studies into how sea levels rise and fall near here.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
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