Abstract: The Antarctic Great Wall Station is located at the southern tip of the Fildes Peninsula on King George Island, Antarctica. Observation of tides in the water adjacent to the Great Wall Station is important for the construction and maintenance of the station and for its operation. In this study, the three-dimensional hydrodynamic ocean numerical model Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) is used to simulate the tidal dynamic process near the South Shetland Islands and the adjacent sea area, in which the Great Wall Station is located. By comparing the simulated summer water levels at the Great Wall Station in 2015—2017 with measured water levels, the model successfully simulates tidal propagation in the area. Based on the model results, the distributions of rectilinear and rotary currents in the waters near the Great Wall Station are discussed. The distribution of the maximum possible tidal range is found to be high in the southeast of the area and low in the northwest, with extremely large tidal ranges at the northeast and southwest ends of King George Island.

Key words: tidal characteristics, numerical simulation, FVCOM, the Antarctic Great Wall Station