Classification to Stationary Process of Tidal Motion Observed at the Time of Kuroshio’s Meandering

Abstract

The tide level displays information about the state of the sea current and the tidal motion. The tide level of the southern coast of Japan Island is affected strongly by Kuroshio Current flowing in the western part of North Pacific Ocean. When Kuroshio takes the straight path and flow along the Japan Islands, the tide level increases, and it is calculated from two tide level data observed at Kushimoto and Uragami in the southern part of Kii Peninsula. In contrast, the tide level decreases at the time when Kuroshio leaves from the Japan Islands. In this paper, the hourly tidal data are analyzed using the Autocorrelation Function (ACF) and the Mutual Information (MI) and the phase trajectories at first. We classify the results into 5 types of tidal motion. Each categorized type is investigated and characterized precisely using the mean tide level and the unit root test (ADF test) next. The frequency of the type having unstable tidal motion increases when the Kuroshio Current is non-meandering or in a transition state or the tide level is high, and the type shows a non-stationary process. On the other hand, when the Kuroshio Current meanders, the tidal motion tends to take a periodical and stable state and the motion is a stationary process. Though it is not frequent, we also discover a type of stationary and irregular tidal motion.