Harmonic Constants Product Specification

HARMONIC CONSTANTS
Product Specification
Edition 1.0
Edition 1 November 2006 1
Harmonic Constants Product Specification
Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 General
1.2 Definitions
2. General Inforation
2.1 O!ser"ation of t#e Tide
2.2 Haronic Anal$sis
%. Header Inforation
%.1 &ort Nae
%.2 Countr$
%.% &osition
%.' Tie (one
%.) *nits
%.+ O!ser"ation
%., Coents
'. Data Record
'.1 Constituent Nae
'.2 &#ase An-le
'.% A.litude
'.' S.eed
'.) E/tended Doodson Nu!er
). Accurac$
).1 Calculation
+. E/tended Doodson Nu!er 01DO2
+.1 Introduction
+.2 Co.utation of t#e Astronoical Ar-uent 0E2 3 *se of E/tended
Doodson Nu!er 01DO2
,. Tidal Haronic Constant Data 4ile 4orat
,.1 Header Record
,.2 Haronic Constants Record
Anne/ A Descri.tion of Haronic Constituents
Anne/ 5 Haronic Constituents 6it# Nodal Corrections
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Harmonic Constants Product Specification
1. Introduction
1.1 General
The tide is a periodical movement in the level of the surface of the sea or ocean, due to the
ravitational attraction bet!een the Earth, "oon and Sun# $% collatin and anal%sin tidal
data it is possible to derive harmonic constants that can be used in the prediction of sea
levels#
The Harmonic Constants Product Specification sets out the rules !hich have to be follo!ed
!hen transferrin tidal harmonic data#
1.2 Definitions
Haronic anal$sis The mathematical process b% !hich the observed tide or tidal
current at an% place is separated into basic harmonic
constituents#
Haronic Constituents &ne of the harmonic elements in a mathematical e'pression
of the tide(producin force, and in correspondin formulae for
the tide or tidal stream# Each constituent represents a
periodic chane of relative position of the Earth, Sun and
"oon#
Haronic Constants The amplitude )H* and phase la )* of each harmonic
constituent of the tide or tidal stream at an% place, in a
specific time +one#
S.ecies of Tide
7on- &eriod ,ncludes all tidal oscillations !ith periods ranin from 1 to 2
da%s throuh to 1- %ears#
Diurnal . tidal c%cle !ith a period lastin appro'imatel% a da%, on
averae 2/ hours 00 minutes#
Seidiurnal . tidal c%cle rouhl% occup%in half a da%, on averae
12hours 20 minutes#
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Harmonic Constants Product Specification
2. General Inforation
2.1 O!ser"ation of t#e Tide
&bservations of sea level are made b% automated tide aues over a period of time at
specific locations# The t!o main tidal features recorded are the tidal rane, measured as the
heiht bet!een successive hih and lo! levels and the period, the time laps bet!een one
hih )or lo!* level and the ne't hih )or lo!* level# Tidal anal%sis of the data collected
produces calculated constants !hich can be used to compute predicted sea(levels# .nal%sis
of the data also provides researchers !ith information on chanes in "ean Sea 2evel !hich
is used for impact anal%sis# ,n realit% these calculated constants can onl% be appro'imate as
the observation period often varies from a %ear to a month# These observations are also
sub3ect to errors induced b% natural meteoroloical occurrences# The principal factors bein
atmospheric pressure and the !inds actin on the sea surface to create storm sures#
2.2 Haronic Anal$sis
,n eneral, a simple Harmonic term can be e'pressed in the form4
5)t* 6 Hn cos )7
n
t 8 n *
9here 5 6 :alue of the variable ;uantit% at time t
Hn 6 .mplitude of oscillation
n 6 Phase la
7
n
6 .nular speed
t 6 Time
The amplitudes and phase las are the parameters determined b% anal%sis !hich define the
tidal reime for the place of observation#
Note8 . full list of Harmonic Constituents !ith their respective Speeds and E'tended
<oodson Numbers )5<&* is iven in .nne' $#

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Harmonic Constants Product Specification
%. Header Inforation
%.1 &ort Nae
=ull port or tidal station name !ith no abbreviations, this is a mandator% field#
%.2 Countr$
,H& Countr% code, this is a mandator% field#
%.% &osition
. 2atitude and 2onitude position of observation station ;uoted as <<<(""#"" toether
!ith the correct suffi' dependant on the hemisphere )N(S* and the direction from the
>reen!ich "eridian )E(9*, this is a mandator% field#
%.' Tie (one
The difference in hours and minutes to ?niversal Time )?T* usin standard ,nternational
"aritime convention )e## >reece (0200@ $eli+e A0600*, this is a mandator% field#
%.) *nits
The unit of measure used to specif% the .mplitude )H*, this is a mandator% field#
%.+ O!ser"ation
The start and end dates of the observation period ;uoted as BBBB(""(<<, this is a
mandator% field#
%., Coents
.n% useful comments and remarCs that !ill assist processin of the data, this is not a
mandator% field#
'. Data Record
'.1 Constituent Nae
.s specified in .nne' $, no variations are allo!able, this is a mandator% field#
'.2 &#ase An-le 0-2
The phase la of a tidal constituent at a particular place in derees, this is a mandator% field#
'.% A.litude 0H2
The amplitude of a tidal constituent for a iven place in metres, this is a mandator% field#
'.' S.eed
The speed of a constituent has been calculated from relevant astronomical theor%, this is a
mandator% field#
'.) E/tended Doodson Nu!er 01DO2
. seven(diit numerical and alphabetical s%stem devised as a convenient !a% of e'pressin
the Harmonic Constituents in order of speed, this is not a mandator% field but is hihl%
desirable#
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Harmonic Constants Product Specification
). Accurac$
).1 Calculation
The overall accurac% of the derived constants is intrinsicall% linCed to the lenth of the
observation period# $% increasin the observation period !e can ather more measurements
therefore reducin the inherent error in the derived values#
So that the calculated data is not misinterpreted as of a hiher ;ualit% it is important to restrict
the precision of the calculated and H values to reflect the lenth of observation# The table
belo! sho!s ho! man% decimal places each derived constant should be ;uoted to !ith
respect to the lenth of observation#

+. E/tended Doodson Nu!er 01DO2
+.1 Introduction
The 5<& refers to a seven diit numberin s%stem devised b% <r# .# T# <oodson in the 1-20Ds
as a convenient !a% of e'pressin the Harmonic Constituents in order of speed, !hich then in
turn becomes a useful !a% of obtainin the phase and speed of an% constituent !ithin a
computer environment# Each number represents a multiplier !hich is applied to the individual
speeds of the &rbital Elements4(
The numberin s%stem effectivel% Eruns(outD after the ninth(diurnal, therefore an alphabetical
s%stem continues throuh the tenth to fourteenth( diurnal#
The 5<&, both numerical and alphabetical, is sho!n in the full list of ,H& Harmonic
Constituents ).nne' $*
+.2 Co.utation of t#e Astronoical Ar-uent 0E2 3 *se of E/tended
Doodson Nu!er 01DO2
1# The value of E, at 00hr, for an% constituent can be derived from the values for &rbital
Elements# =or e'ample the phase of the constituent Cno!n as F2 can be e'pressed as4
h p + 180
2# ,n practice it has been found convenient to include an additional term )hs*# The
multiplier for this term is the species to !hich the constituent belons# F2 is a semi(
diurnal constituent so the multiplier for this term is 2# Simple alebra means that E of F2
can no! be e'pressed as 4
2(hs) + 2s h p + 180
Edition 1 November 2006
Tie &#ase An-le 0-2 A.litude 0H2
G 1 Bear
5#5 5#555
H 1 Bear or G 1 ' 10 da%s
5#5 5#555
H 1 ' 10 da%s
5 5#55
6
Harmonic Constants Product Specification
1# ,f the coefficients for the term )h - s*, for each of the &rbital Elements in turn and for the
number of riht anles to be applied, are !ritten in se;uence, E of F2 can be e'pressed
as 4
Parameter (hs) s h p N p -0
Coefficient A2 A2 (1 0 0 (1 A2
/# To avoid the use of neative numbers 0 is normall% added to each coefficient, e'cept the
first# E of F2 no! becomes4
Parameter (hs) s h p N p -0
Coefficient 2 I / 0 0 / I
0# ,n the 1-20s, <r# <oodson realised that the first three diits of this number )2I/ in the
case of F2* !ere a convenient !a% of tabulatin harmonic constituents in order of speed
and he called this the <oodson Number# 9hat he could not have foreseen !as that the
full number forms a convenient shorthand for obtainin the phase and speed of an%
constituent !ithin prorams on electronic computers# The full number is referred to as
the E'tended <oodson Number )5<&*#
6# Comparativel% recentl%, electronic computers have enabled the use of constituents
!hich overflo! the above s%stem and the ?J H%droraphic &ffice has replaced it !ith
an alphabetical s%stem in !hich K represents 0, the letters . to P represent coefficients
of 1 to 10 respectivel% !hile F to B represent (L to (1# Substitutin the values in Para
2#I, the 5<& for F2 no! becomes 4
Parameter (h - s) s h p N p -0
Coefficient $ $ B K K B $
,. Tidal Haronic Constant Data 4ile 4orat
Edition 1 November 2006 I
Harmonic Constants Product Specification
,.1 Header Record
4ield Nae Descri.tion
1(2 Name Port or tidal station name
2(1 Countr% ,H& Countr% code
1(/ 2atitude N ( S <<<(""#""
/(0 2onitude E ( 9 <<<(""#""
0(6 Time Kone AM(HH"" "aritime Convention
6(I &bservation Start BBBB(""(<<
I(L &bservation End BBBB(""(<<
L(- Comment Comment or remarCs
,.2 Haronic Constants Record
4ield Nae Descri.tion
1(2 Sa Phase .nle of
Sa constant in
derees
.mplitude
of Sa in
meters
Speed of Sa
in derees
per mean
solar hour
5<& value
Numerical or
alphabetical
2(1 Ssa Phase .nle of
Ssa constant in
derees
.mplitude
of Ssa in
meters
Speed of Ssa
in derees
per mean
solar hour
5<& value
Numerical or
alphabetical
1(/ Sta Phase .nle of
Sta constant in
derees
.mplitude
of Sta in
meters
Speed of Sta
in derees
per mean
solar hour
5<& value
Numerical or
alphabetical
Edition 1 November 2006 L