semidiurnal current

semidiurnal current

[¦sem·i·dī′ərn·əl ′kə·rənt] (oceanography) A tidal current in which the tidal-day current cycle consists of two flood currents and two ebb currents, separated by slack water, or of two changes in direction of 360° of a rotary current; this is the most common type of tidal current throughout the world.