Analysis of tidal records: absolute filtering method

Abstract

In the present work and starting from numerical or graphical tidal records, a new method for the analysis of tidal waves is developed. Owing to the modern technology facilities, continuous and authomatic tidal records are available all the time. The filtering method proposed permits eliminate tidal components one by one, in an absolute form; thereof the name of "absolute filtering". From the complete theory developed and the numerical example of its application given in this work, three important facts can be drawn out: a) Short-period tidal records can be used; b)the tidal record can have discontinuities, and c) a linear drift is authomaticalIy eliminated throughout computations. To apply the method we have worked on a theoretical tidal wave special ly computed for La Plata latitude, at the place where our Astronomical Observatory is located. It might be argued that the numerical computation has been made on a noiseless tidal wave;but this is justly necessary if we want to prove the method and bring out its possibilities.