Tidal Constituents

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Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world and has the fourth largest population. Around 60% of this population lives along the coastlines of Indonesia and they are vulnerable to natural disasters such as sea level rise and extreme weather events due to climate change [1]. Indonesia’s sea level rise is around 4.97 mm per year on average. This number is already higher than the global average and some areas of the Indonesian coast are experiencing sea level rise at significantly higher rates. Parts of Indonesia is also facing land subsidence which occurs when too much groundwater is pumped from underground aquifers, which causes the land itself to sink. Furthermore, there has been an increased amount of coastal flooding which has a significantly larger impact due to the removal of around 40% of mangrove forests and other coastal vegetation. These organisms acted as carbon storage units and natural barriers against erosion and tidal movement [2]. This will also negatively impact Indonesia's "blue economy" which consists of farming, fishing, and other coastal/ocean sectors [1]. Positively, groups such as Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) are working towards conservation and restoration efforts that support sustainable development, economic stability, and climate resilience [3].

Most Common Tidal Constituents in Djkarta Indonesia [4]:

M2 (Principal Lunar Semidiurnal): The largest lunar constituent, representing roughly half of the semi-diurnal tidal range.

S2 (Principal Solar Semidiurnal): The largest solar constituent, often combined with M2 to dictate the fortnightly spring/neap cycle.

N2 (Larger Lunar Elliptic Semidiurnal Constituent): Represents the modulation of the main lunar tide M2 due to the moon's elliptical orbit.

Cite:

[1]“Indonesia Oceans and Coasts,” The Nature Conservancy. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-wor...

[2] “Impacts of Rising Sea Levels on Indonesia’s Coastline | Oxfam Australia,” Oxfam Australia, Dec. 02, 2025. https://www.oxfam.org.au/blog/indonesia-rising-sea...

‌[3]“Program YKAN,” Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), 2019. https://www.ykan.or.id/en/program/ (accessed May 01, 2026).

[4]“Harmonic Constituents - NOAA Tides & Currents,” Noaa.gov, 2026. https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/harcon.html?id=6... (accessed May 01, 2026).

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