Multi-temporal runoff-sediment discharge relationships
Honglin Xiao a, Jinping Zhang a,
b,11* Corresponding authors:
Name: Jinping Zhang, E-mail address: jinping2000_zh@163.com;
Name: Hongyuan Fang, E-mail address: 18337192244@163.com., Hongyuan
Fang a,*
a: School of Water Conservancy Engineering, Zhengzhou University,
High-tech District, No. 100 Science Road, Zhengzhou City, 450001, Henan
Province, China.
b: Yellow River Institute for Ecological Protection & Regional
Coordinated Development, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, 450001,
Henan Province, China.
Abstract: To understand the runoff-sediment discharge
relationship in the source region of the Yellow River, this study
examined the annual runoff and sediment discharge data obtained from the
Tangnaihai hydrometric station. The data were decomposed into multiple
time scales through Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with
adaptive noise (CEEMDAN). Furthermore, double cumulative curves were
plotted and the cointegration theory was employed to analyze the
microscopic and macroscopic multi-temporal correlations between the
runoff and the sediment discharge and their detailed evolution.
Multi-temporal component composite models were then constructed
considering structural breaks. The simulation results were compared with
the actual values to examine the accuracy of the models. The results
suggested that the runoff and the sediment discharge variations in the
source region of the Yellow River showed reasonable consistency as a
whole. However, their relationship at different time scales varied
slightly. The runoff-sediment discharge double cumulative curves in the
multi-temporal components exhibited high goodness of fit. The curves of
the intrinsic mode function 1 and 2 (IMF1 and IMF2) components provided
a more satisfactory goodness of fit, whereas distinct breakpoints were
present in those of IMF3 and IMF4. The variations in the runoff-sediment
discharge relationship of the raw data series resulted from the
different time scales. The medium- and long-term runoff-sediment
discharge relationships were insignificant, which affected the raw data
series. With the help of the variable structure cointegration composite
model, the smallest average relative error for the simulated annual
runoff (7.82%) was obtained. This composite model could more accurately
reflect the long-term equilibrium and short-term fluctuating
relationships between the runoff and the sediment discharge in the
source region of the Yellow River.
Keywords: runoff, sediment discharge, source region of the
Yellow River, variable structure cointegration, multi-temporal scales