tide_start in ocean.in

[CMD]

from the ROMS/TOMS 2.2 Release Notes :

(*) The routine clm_tides was renamed to set_tides. A new parameter, TIDE_START, was added to the model input script (ocean.in). This is the reference time origin for tidal forcing (days). It is the time used when processing input tidal data (from models). It is needed to compute the correct phase lag with respect ROMS/TOMS initialization time.

I am a little confused about the setting of tide_start .
Should the TIDE_START be equal to DSTART in the ?
For example the real time is 01/01/2004 and tide_start=13005 , right ?
What should i do to correct phase lag in ROMS ?


Thank you

[jacopo]

Tide_start is not necessarily equal to dstart, while you should use the same convention.
Tide_start represent the reference time you used in the estimates of Ephase when creating tidal_frc.nc (or whatever you have as tidal forcing file).