Identification of phase propagation of water level in tidal river by spectral analysis

 Water levels of the five river stages in the Taipei Basin are analyzed by using spectral analysis in time-frequency domain through one-year hourly data. The autospectral and cross-spectral density function, coherence, phase angle and associated statistic parameters are studied. The semi-diurnal, diurnal and quarter-diurnal tidal components are significant for river stages, which are also apparently related to astronomical tides of M₂, S₂, N₂, S₁, O₁ and M₄, MK₄ or MS₄ respectively. The time lags versus propagation distance are shown as linear distribution for two stream systems. The time lags are 3.2, 4.0 and 2.5 (h) for semi-diurnal, diurnal and quarter-diurnal components in Tanshui River – Tanhan Stream system, while 3.5, 3.5 and 2.2 (h) in Tanshui River – Hsintien Stream system. This research was supported by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research(INER), Atomic Energy Council, Taiwan, Republic of China, under the fund of the Executive Yuan. The author appreciates Taiwan Provincial Government Water Resources Department and Central Weather Bureau for providing useful data.