Two new ocean tide models for the Ross Sea including the ocean cavity under the Ross Ice Shelf,
are described. The optimum model for predicting ice shelf surface height variability is based on assimilation
of gravimetry-derived tidal constituents from the Ross Ice Shelf. Synthetic aperture radar interferograms
provide an independent test of model performance. The standard deviation of tide height variability is largest
under the eastern ice shelf along the Shirase and Siple Coasts, where it can exceed 0.8 m. The maximum
peak-to-peak tidal range in this region is ∼3 m. The best predictor for ocean tidal currents north of the ice
front is a dynamics-based model that solves the depth-integrated shallow water equations with a linear
representation of benthic friction rather than the more usual quadratic form. Tidal currents over the open
Ross Sea are dominated by diurnal, topographically trapped vorticity waves. The strongest modelled
currents exceed 1 m s−1 at spring tide in a narrow band along the upper continental slope in the north-western
Ross Sea. Typical tidal currents in the central continental shelf area of the Ross Sea are 10–20 cm s−1. Under
the ice shelf the typical currents are ∼5 cm s−1.