地球自由核章动及核幔耦合的研究

由于地球自转导致的自由核章动(FCN)及内核自由章动(FICN)等地球简正模是地球内部动力学过程的重要表征,也是认识核幔边界和内外核边界的重要手段,其包含的物理信息可为目前地球深部的研究手段比较匮乏的情况下获得地球深内部结构及物理性质和研究核幔及内外核耦合提供非常重要的约束。本文围绕地球自由核章动利用全球地球动力学计划观测网提供的全球超导重力观测资料和国际VLBI服务组织提供的章动观测资料,采用不同方法研究了自由核章动的本征周期和品质因子等     

利用2006—2015年VLBI数据进行地球定向参数解算与分析

目前正处在下一代甚长基线干涉测量（very long baseline interferometry，VLBI）系统的建设时期。利用维也纳VLBI与卫星软件（Vienna VLBI and satellite software，VieVS）解算了2006—2015年的VLBI数据，得到了10 a的地球定向参数（Earth orientation parameters，EOP）时间序列，并与国际地球自转服务机构的结果进行了对比。利用解算结果得到了10 a的日长变化时间序列，通过傅里叶分析得出了日长变化的短周期、半月周期、月周期、半年周期和周年周期，同时还分析得到了极移序列中的周年项和张德勒周期项以及章动改正序列中的自由核章动项。此次解算工作可为武汉大学卫星台站日后的VLBI数据解析积累一定的经验。     

海潮负荷对自由核章动参数拟合的影响

基于武汉基准台超导重力仪重力潮汐观测资料 ,利用根据不同海潮模型获得的负荷重力改正值对观测数据作海潮改正 ,拟合了地球自由核章动 ( FCN)共振参数。结果表明 FCN的本征周期为 435 .2恒星日 ,品质因子为 4730 ,复共振强度为 ( - 6.34× 1 0 - 4,- 0 .0 9× 1 0 - 4)°/h。不同的海潮模型对 FCN本征周期和共振强度实部计算结果的影响很小 ,差异分别不超过± 1 .6%和± 7.7% ,对品质因子 Q值和共振强度虚部拟合结果的影响非常显著。基于 Ori96全球海潮模型得到的重力改正值可以很好地解释武汉基准台周日重力潮汐观测残差。     

重力场的地球动力学与内部结构应用研究进展

深入认识地球深内部结构和内部动力学问题一直是基础地球科学研究领域的前沿热点,传统方法主要依赖于地震技术。近几十年来,随着新兴的现代重力观测技术革新(尤其是高精度超导重力技术的成功应用),使得检测地球内部动力学现象和物性信息成为可能。本文简述了我国在本领域近年来利用现代高精度重力技术在检测地球自由振荡、自由核章动、内核平动振荡、潮汐模型与极潮和内部结构方面的研究成果进展。     

主要章动项振幅与自由核章动的检测

章动观测值与理论值之间的差异提示人们，当前所使用的Ｗａｈｒ章动理论中存在一些未知的效应。本文利用ＶＬＢＩ观测资料和测纬资料，对主要章动项振幅和自由核章动周期进行了检验。实际计算表明，根据ＶＬＢＩ资料和测纬资料的处理，所得到的自由核章动周期是相同的。     

国际GGP计划和武汉超导重力仪观测

介绍了近年来应用部分超导重力仪观测研究地球动力学研究方面的成果 ,包括精密测定地球潮汐常数 ,研究大气和海洋潮汐信号 ,确定地球自由核章动参数和检测地球自由振荡等内容。     

地球内核的章动效应

地球内核与地球自转有着密切的联系。由于内核的存在,将出现两个新的与地球自转有关的章动模式,即顺向的自由核章动(PFCN)和内核摆动(ICW)模式。本文依据Mathews等人的内核地球章动理论,讨论了归一化章动振幅的Mathews形式和Wahr形式的应用;通过PREM地球模型检测了内核对章动振幅的影响,由此发现内核在亚毫角秒量级上影响主要的章动项,它和当今的观测精度是一致的。     

地球液核的章动效应

对液核地球模型的一般理论进行了研究, 并计算了液核对章动振幅的影响。     

VLBI技术CONT观测的高频ERP解算

国际VLBI测天测地服务机构(IVS)已组织了多次VLBI连续加密观测(CONT),提供了高精度连续的原始观测数据,在地球自转参数(ERP)的连续高频解算中起到积极的作用,揭示了地球自转高频变化的观测资料和理论模型之间的差异,有助于进一步解析其激发机制改进模型.这里使用VLBI资料处理软件系统OCCAM处理了CONT02,CONT05和CONT08数据,并进行ERP高频解算及频谱分析.从各次CONT观测的残差频谱中发现较强周期信号,反映了地球自转的特性.特别是CONT08残差频谱中存在明显的周日项信患,揭示了北半球夏季月份大气激发对地球自转的作用.     

液核地球极移和章动理论模型的改进

以经典的液核弹性地球自转动力学理论为基础,通过引入章动坐标系相对惯性空间的运动,建立液核地球极移和章动的联合动力学方程。由此定义液核地球的CIP轴,并对其进行解算。研究表明新方法克服了传统方法不能解决的一些问题(例如CEP和CIP的定义),简化了传统方法求解的复杂性。值得注意的是新方法可同时求解极移和章动,特别是在Smith M.L.(1977)理论中出现的倾斜模(TOM),在此只是作为一个特解而存在。     

Lunar gravity field determination using SELENE same-beam differential VLBI tracking data

A lunar gravity field model up to degree and order 100 in spherical harmonics, named SGM100i, has been determined from SELENE and historical tracking data, with an emphasis on using same-beam S-band differential VLBI data obtained in the SELENE mission between January 2008 and February 2009. Orbit consistency throughout the entire mission period of SELENE as determined from orbit overlaps for the two sub-satellites of SELENE involved in the VLBI tracking improved consistently from several hundreds of metres to several tens of metres by including differential VLBI data. Through orbits that are better determined, the gravity field model is also improved by including these data. Orbit determination performance for the new model shows improvements over earlier 100th degree and order models, especially for edge-on orbits over the deep far side. Lunar Prospector orbit determination shows an improvement of orbit consistency from 1-day predictions for 2-day arcs of 6 m in a total sense, with most improvement in the along and cross-track directions. Data fit for the types and satellites involved is also improved. Formal errors for the lower degrees are smaller, and the new model also shows increased correlations with topography over the far side. The estimated value for the lunar GM for this model equals 4902.80080±0.0009 km³/s² (10 sigma). The lunar degree 2 potential Love number k ₂ was also estimated, and has a value of 0.0255 ± 0.0016 (10 sigma as well).     

Geodetic VLBI with an artificial radio source on the Moon: a simulation study

We perform extensive simulations in order to assess the accuracy with which the position of a radio transmitter on the surface of the Moon can be determined by geodetic VLBI. We study how the quality and quantity of geodetic VLBI observations influence these position estimates and investigate how observations of such near-field objects affect classical geodetic parameters like VLBI station coordinates and Earth rotation parameters. Our studies are based on today’s global geodetic VLBI schedules as well as on those designed for the next-generation geodetic VLBI system. We use Monte Carlo simulations including realistic stochastic models of troposphere, station clocks, and observational noise. Our results indicate that it is possible to position a radio transmitter on the Moon using today’s geodetic VLBI with a two-dimensional horizontal accuracy of better than one meter. Moreover, we show that the next-generation geodetic VLBI has the potential to improve the two-dimensional accuracy to better than 5 cm. Thus, our results lay the base for novel observing concepts to improve both lunar research and geodetic VLBI.     

The impact of radio source structure on European geodetic VLBI measurements

European geodetic very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) sessions (also known as EUROPE sessions) have been carried out on a regular basis for the past 15 years to study relative crustal motions within Europe. These sessions are based on observations of extragalactic radio sources, which serve as distant fiducial marks to establish an accurate and stable celestial reference frame for long-term geodetic measurements. The radio sources, however, are not always point-like on milliarcsecond scales, as VLBI imaging has revealed. In this work, we quantify the magnitude of the expected effect of intrinsic source structure on geodetic bandwidth synthesis delay VLBI measurements for a subset of 14 sources regularly observed during the EUROPE sessions. These sources have been imaged at both X-band (8.4 GHz) and S-band (2.3 GHz) based on dedicated observations acquired with the European VLBI Network (EVN) in November 1996. The results of this calculation indicate that the reference source 0457+024 causes significant structural effects in measurements obtained on European VLBI baselines (about 10 picoseconds on average), whereas most of the other sources produce effects that are only occasionally larger than a few picoseconds. Applying the derived source structure models to the data of the EUROPE5-96 session carried out at the same epoch as the EVN experiment shows no noticeable changes in the estimated VLBI station locations.     

Centimeter repeatability of the VLBI estimates of European baselines

Summary In the last three years, the European Geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) Network has grown to a total of six fixed antennas placed in Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden, all equipped with the standard geodetic VLBI instrumentation and data recording systems. During this period of time, several experiments have been carried out using this interferometer providing data of very high quality due to the excellent sensitivity and performance of the European stations. The purpose of this paper is to study the consistency of the VLBI geodetic results on the European baselines with respect to the different degrees of freedom in the analysis procedure. In order to complete this study we have made use of both real and simulated data sets, two different software packages (OCCAM 3.0 and CALC 7.4/SOLVE) and a variety of strategies in the data analysis. The results we have obtained show that the repeatability of the VLBI estimates of the baseline lengths in the European network is better than one centimeter, independent of the different analysis methods, and is consistent with the formal error levels expected from the data analysis. This consistency should be enough to produce geophysically significant information in Europe from VLBI data within a relatively short time span.     

Is there utility in rigorous combinations of VLBI and GPS Earth orientation parameters?

Combinations of station coordinates and velocities from independent space-geodetic techniques have long been the standard method to realize robust global terrestrial reference frames (TRFs). In principle, the particular strengths of one observing method can compensate for weaknesses in others if the combination is properly constructed, suitable weights are found, and accurate co-location ties are available. More recently, the methodology has been extended to combine time-series of results at the normal equation level. This allows Earth orientation parameters (EOPs) to be included and aligned in a fully consistent way with the TRF. While the utility of such multi-technique combinations is generally recognized for the reference frame, the benefits for the EOPs are yet to be quantitatively assessed. In this contribution, which is a sequel to a recent paper on co-location ties (Ray and Altamimi in J Geod 79(4–5): 189–195, 2005), we have studied test combinations of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and Global Positioning System (GPS) time-series solutions to evaluate the effects on combined EOP measurements compared with geophysical excitations. One expects any effect to be small, considering that GPS dominates the polar motion estimates due to its relatively dense and uniform global network coverage, high precision, continuous daily sampling, and homogeneity, while VLBI alone observes UT1-UTC. Presently, although clearly desirable, we see no practical method to rigorously include the GPS estimates of length-of-day variations due to significant time-varying biases. Nevertheless, our results, which are the first of this type, indicate that more accurate polar motion from GPS contributes to improved UT1-UTC results from VLBI. The situation with combined polar motion is more complex. The VLBI data contribute directly only very slightly, if at all, with an impact that is probably affected by the weakness of the current VLBI networks (small size and sparseness) and the quality of local ties relating the VLBI and GPS frames. Instead, the VLBI polar motion information is used primarily in rotationally aligning the VLBI and GPS frames, thereby reducing the dependence on co-location tie information. Further research is needed to determine an optimal VLBI-GPS combination strategy that yields the highest quality EOP estimates. Improved local ties (including internal systematic effects within the techniques) will be critically important in such an effort.     

Observation of the Earth’s nutation by the VLBI: how accurate is the geophysical signal

We compare nutation time series determined by several International VLBI Service for geodesy and astrometry (IVS) analysis centers. These series were made available through the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS). We adjust the amplitudes of the main nutations, including the free motion associated with the free core nutation (FCN). Then, we discuss the results in terms of physics of the Earth’s interior. We find consistent FCN signals in all of the time series, and we provide corrections to IAU 2000A series for a number of nutation terms with realistic errors. It appears that the analysis configuration or the software packages used by each analysis center introduce an error comparable to the amplitude of the prominent corrections. We show that the inconsistencies between series have significant consequences on our understanding of the Earth’s deep interior, especially for the free inner core resonance: they induce an uncertainty on the FCN period of about 0.5 day, and on the free inner core nutation (FICN) period of more than 1000 days, comparable to the estimated period itself. Though the FCN parameters are not so much affected, a 100 % error shows up for the FICN parameters and prevents from geophysical conclusions.     

Radiointerferometric polar motion observations with high temporal resolution

Summary For several years polar motion has been routinely monitored with the technique of geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) at five-day intervals. Here we present the results of the first two series of VLBI measurements for polar motion monitoring observed on a quasi daily basis employing only a single baseline. The high sensitivity of the long north-south baseline between radio telescopes at Wettzell in Germany and Hartebeesthock in South Africa for both components of polar motion permitted relatively short and inexpensive measurements of only two hours duration per session. The results of this series agree very well with the pole path determined with the IRIS network using 4 observatories in each observing session of 24 hour duration. With the polar motion results of the two series spanning about 35 days each, spectral analyses were performed which have shown a fortnightly period with a high degree of probability. These measurements demonstrate the potential of long north-south VLBI baselines for monitoring polar motion with very high temporal resolution for studies of short period fluctuations.     

The mobile VLBI campaigns in Norway (1989–1993)

Summary Since 1989 several mobile VLBI campaigns have been carried out in Europe with a total of 14 sites occupied. The Norwegian stations at Tromsø and Trysil are the only mobile VLBI stations in Europe observed in more than one epoch, so they have produced the most interesting data from these campaigns. Tromsø is the only station observed in the two summer campaigns (1989 and 1992), while Trysil has been the winter site for MV-2 since late 1991 until the spring of 1993. In this paper we describe the mobile VLBI campaigns in Norway including the observational work and the detailed geodetic analysis performed with OCCAM V3.3. We have also analyzed a series of GPS data sets from Tromsø in order to check the reliability of the VLBI results for that station. The results reveal the need for a very careful design of mobile VLBI experiments, in particular regarding the consistency of the network and of the observation schedules, and the special care that is required in the analysis of the mobile VLBI data in order to achieve significant conclusions.