Comparison of satellite and terrestrial gravity data

Summary The integral mean values of gravity on the surface W=W ₀ , obtained from satellite observations with the use of harmonic coefficients[3, 7] and from terrestrial gravity measurements[12], are compared. The squares and products of the harmonic coefficients were neglected, with the exception of [J ₂ ⁽⁰⁾ ] ² , which was taken into account. The Potsdam correction and the geocentric constant are being discussed. The paper ties up with[13–15] and the symbols used are the same. The given problem was treated, e.g., in[2, 4, 6, 8–10]; in the present paper the values of gravity are compared directly.     

Zur Analyse der Genauigkeit von mehrmals mit einer Gravimetergruppe gemessenen gravimetrischen Verbindungen

Summary In order to evaluate the accuracy of measurements repeated by a set of gravimeters the semi-systematic errors ₂ and ₃ were introduced besides the random error ₁ in[1]. It is shown that Eqs.(10) and(11), given in[1], should not be used to determine these errors, but Eqs.(8) and(9).     

Computation of Ray Amplitudes in Inhomogeneous Media with Curved

The TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) satellite altimeter data from January 1, 1993 to January 3, 2001 (cycles 11–305) was used for investigating the long-term variations of the geoidal geopotential W ₀ and the geopotential scale factor R ₀ = GM÷W ₀ (GM is the adopted geocentric gravitational constant). The mean values over the whole period covered are W ₀ = (62 636 856.161 ± 0.002) m²s^-2, R ₀ = (6 363 672.5448 ± 0.0002) m. The actual accuracy is limited by the altimeter calibration error (2–3 cm) and it is conservatively estimated to be about ± 0.5 m²s^-2 (± 5 cm). The differences between the yearly mean sea surface (MSS) levels came out as follows: 1993–1994: –(1.2 ± 0.7) mm, 1994–1995: (0.5 ± 0.7) mm, 1995–1996: (0.5 ± 0.7) mm, 1996–1997: (0.1 ± 0.7) mm, 1997–1998: –(0.5 ± 0.7) mm, 1998–1999: (0.0 ± 0.7) mm and 1999–2000: (0.6 ± 0.7) mm. The corresponding rate of change in the MSS level (or R ₀) during the whole period of 1993–2000 is (0.02 ± 0.07) mm÷y. The value W ₀ was found to be quite stable, it depends only on the adopted GM, and the volume enclosed by surface W = W ₀. W ₀ can also uniquely define the reference (geoidal) surface that is required for a number of applications, including World Height System and General Relativity in precise time keeping and time definitions, that is why W ₀ is considered to be suitable for adoption as a primary astrogeodetic parameter. Furthermore, W ₀ provides a scale parameter for the Earth that is independent of the tidal reference system. After adopting a value for W ₀, the semi-major axis a of the Earth's general ellipsoid can easily be derived. However, an a priori condition should be posed first. Two conditions have been examined, namely an ellipsoid with the corresponding geopotential which fits best W ₀ in the least squares sense and an ellipsoid which has the global geopotential average equal to W ₀. It is demonstrated that both a-values are practically equal to the value obtained by the Pizzetti's theory of the level ellipsoid: a = (6 378 136.7 ± 0.05) m.     

Strain and kinematic vorticity analysis: An indicator for sinistral transpressional strain-partitioning along the Lancangjiang shear zone,western Yunnan,China

This work deals with the preliminary relationship between strain path and strain partitioning pattern in a sinistral transpressional zone,Lancangjiang shear zone,located to the southeast of Tibet.Various ductile rocks provide an opportunity to investigate quantitative finite strain(Rs),kinematic vorticity values(Wm),and proportions of simple and pure shear components.The mean kinematic vorticity values(Wm) were evaluated based on three methods,such as Rs-θ,prophyroclast hyperbolic distribution method(PHD),a...     

Fundamental geodetic parameters of the earth's figure and the structure of the earth's gravity field derived from satellite data

Summary Using the geocentric constant GM=398 601.3 × 10 ⁹ m ³s ^–2 , the known value of the angular velocity of the Earth's rotation , Stokes' constants J _n ^(k) and S _n ^(k) upto n=21 (zonal), n=16 (tesseral and sectorial) [2], the geocentric co-ordinates and heights above sea-level of SAO satellite stations [2], the following will be derived: the potential on the geoid W_o, the scale factor for lengths R_o=GM/W_o, the radius-vector of the surface W=W_o, the parameters of the best-fitting Earth tri-axial ellipsoid, and the components of the deflections of the vertical with respect to the geocentric rotational IAG ellipsoid (Lucerne 1967), as well as to the best-fitting geocentric tri-axial ellipsoid. Some of the differences in the structure of the gravity field over the Northern and Southern Hemispheres will be given, and the mean values of gravity over the equatorial zone, determined from the dynamics of satellite orbits, on the one hand, and from terrestrial gravity data, on the other, will be compared.Presented at the Fifteenth IUGG General Assembly, Moscow, July 30 — August 14, 1971.     

Volles Gewicht einer im Refraktionsmilieu gemessenen Grösse (Teil I)

Summary As regards the concept of complete weight p with which an observed quantity (e.g., the direction of theA–G net) should enter the net adjustment, according to Eq.(1), apart from the fundamental weight p ₀ ), determined by the number of repetitions, it should also contain the time parameter p_t according to Eq.(11), where c>1 is a constant, and t is the number of days of observation, and also the refraction factor p_r according to Eqs(17, 18), where q is the structural weight of the direction. The condition for being able to determine p_r with the directions is observation by means of the three-directional vertex method[2], because it is not possible to localize lateral refraction by angular methods. The theory of complete weight is in favour of observations with a high fundamental weight p ₀ which automatically yield higher values of t, and also of p_t. The introduction of the complete weight into the experimental directional net in Fig. 2 caused the mean value of the uneliminated refraction error to decrease from 0.24 to 0.12, the mean square error of the adjusted direction being 0.17. The value of the constant c was investigated and the method of determining the parameter p_r was derived also for lengths measured electro-optically. Mention is made of the effect of complete weights on the length adjustment of a net in[6].     

On one generalization of trochoidal waves

Summary The concept of the generalized trochoidal waves discussed in[1] is revised and modified. A new formula defining the auxiliary function (b, c) was found with the aid of the results derived in[3] and some physical considerations.     

Geoidal curvature radii from satellite data for different degrees of smoothing

Summary Radii of curvature and their anomalies of a smoothed geoidal surface are computed using Stokes's constants J _n ^(k) , S _n ^(k) of the Earth's body, obtained from satellite orbit dynamics[2]. Different degrees n of smoothing are used (n = 8, 12, 21). The notations are the same as in[4, 5].     

Effect of organic solvent type on the removal of nitrate ion using liquid membrane technique

In this study, the removal of nitrate ions from aqueous solutions with liquid membrane technique has been investigated for different organic solvent types in which solubilized tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (TDTMABr) as carrier. n-butyl alcohol, chloroform, and mixture of chloroform + n-hexane (n-hexane 85% + chloroform 15%) were used as organic solvent. Kinetic parameters (k _1d, k _2m, k _2a, t _max, R _m^max, J _m^max, J _a^max) were calculated from obtained data. time R _a values of mixture, butyl alcohol, and chloroform are 0.81, 0.78, and 0.55, respectively. Similarly R _d, R _m, and t _max values of the mixture equal to 0.14, 0.04, and 87.92 min, respectively. This behavior of the system shows the organic solvent type is an effective parameter on separation yield. It can be concluded that the mixture is the most effective organic solvent type among the investigated ones, because liquid membrane systems should be operated within the range of having the R _m, R _d, and t _max values are minimum while R _a values are maximum.     

The destabilising nature of differential rotation

Abstract

In a rapidly rotating, electrically conducting fluid we investigate the thermal stability of the fluid in the presence of an imposed toroidal magnetic field and an imposed toroidal differential rotation. We choose a magnetic field profile that is stable. The familiar role of differential rotation is a stabilising one. We wish to examine the less well known destabilising effect that it can have. In a plane layer model (for which we are restricted to Roberts number q = 0) with differential rotation, U = sΩ(z)1 _?, no choice of Ω(z) led to a destabilising effect. However, in a cylindrical geometry (for which our model permits all values of q) we found that differential rotations U = sΩ(s)1 _? which include a substantial proportion of negative gradient (dΩ/ds ≤ 0) give a destabilising effect which is largest when the magnetic Reynolds number R _m = O(10); the critical Rayleigh number, Ra _c, is about 7% smaller at minimum than at R_m = 0 for q = 10⁶. We also find that as q is reduced, the destabilising effect is diminished and at q = 10^?6, which may be more appropriate to the Earth's core, the effect causes a dip in the critical Rayleigh number of only about 0.001%. This suggests that we see no dip in the plane layer results because of the q = 0 condition. In the above results, the Elsasser number A = 1 but the effect of differential rotation is also dependent on A. Earlier work has shown a smooth transition from thermal to differential rotation driven instability at high A [A = O(100)]. We find, at intermediate A [A = O(10)], a dip in the Ra_c vs. R_m curve similar to the A = 1 case. However, it has Ra_c ≤ 0 at its minimum and unlike the results for high A, larger values of R_m result in a restabilisation.     

Non-axisymmetric α2Ω-dynamo waves in thin stellar shells

Linear α²Ω-dynamo waves are investigated in a thin turbulent, differentially rotating convective stellar shell. A simplified one-dimensional model is considered and an asymptotic solution constructed based on the small aspect ratio of the shell. In a previous paper Griffiths et al. (Griffiths, G.L., Bassom, A.P., Soward, A.M. and Kuzanyan, K.M., Nonlinear α²Ω-dynamo waves in stellar shells, Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid Dynam., 2001, 94, 85–133) considered the modulation of dynamo waves, linked to a latitudinal-dependent local α-effect and radial gradient of the zonal shear flow. These effects are measured at latitude θ by the magnetic Reynolds numbers R _α f(θ) and R _Ω g(θ). The modulated Parker wave, which propagates towards the equator, is localised at some mid-latitude θ_p under a Gaussian envelope. In this article, we include the influence of a latitudinal-dependent zonal flow possessing angular velocity Ω_*(θ) and consider the possibility of non-axisymmetric dynamo waves with azimuthal wave number m. We find that the critical dynamo number D _c?=?R _α R _Ω is minimised by axisymmetric modes in the αΩ-limit (Rα→0). On the other hand, when Rα?≠?0 there may exist a band of wave numbers 0?m?m ^? for which the non-axisymmetric modes have a smaller D _c than in the axisymmetric case. Here m ^? is regarded as a continuous function of R _α with the property m?→0 as R _α→0 and the band is only non-empty when m??>1, which happens for sufficiently large R _α. The preference for non-axisymmetric modes is possible because the wind-up of the non-axisymmetric structures can be compensated by phase mixing inherent to the α²Ω-dynamo. For parameter values resembling solar conditions, the Parker wave of maximum dynamo activity at latitude θ_p not only propagates equatorwards but also westwards relative to the local angular velocity Ω_*(θ _p ). Since the critical dynamo number D _c?=?R _α R _Ω is O (1) for small R _α, the condition m ^??>?1 for non-axisymmetric mode preference imposes an upper limit on the size of |dΩ_*/dθ|.     

Determination of the Geopotential Scale Factor from TOPEX/POSEIDON Satellite Altimetry

The geopotential scale factor R _o = GM/W _o (the GM geocentric gravitational constant adopted) and/or geoidal potential Wo have been determined on the basis of the first year's (Oct 92 – Dec 93) ERS-1/TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data and of the POCM 4B sea surface topography model: R _o °=(6 363 672.58°±0.05) m, W _o °=(62 636 855.8°±0.05)m ² s ^–2 . The 2°–°3 cm uncertainty in the altimeter calibration limits the actual accuracy of the solution. Monitoring dW _o /dt has been projected.     

Diurnal asymmetry in the lower ionosphere — seasonal variability

Summary On the basis of long period measurements of ionospheric absorption in five A3 circuits in Central Europe, it is shown that the considerable seasonal variation of the diurnal asymmetry of absorption, found in[1], exhibits practically no year-to-year variability and is well-developed at equivalent frequencies f _eq 1 MHz, while it vanishes at F _eq 2 MHz. The limited data on the diurnal asymmetry of the D-region electron concentration are consistent with the seasonal pattern of the diurnal asymmetry in absorption. A tentative hypothesis of nitric oxide variability as the cause of the seasonal variation of the asymmetry is proposed.     

Prediction of concentrated flow width in ephemeral gully channels

Empirical prediction equations of the form W = aQ^b have been reported for rills and rivers, but not for ephemeral gullies. In this study six experimental data sets are used to establish a relationship between channel width (W, m) and flow discharge (Q, m³ s^?1) for ephemeral gullies formed on cropland. The resulting regression equation (W = 2·51 Q^0·412; R² = 0·72; n = 67) predicts observed channel width reasonably well. Owing to logistic limitations related to the respective experimental set ups, only relatively small runoff discharges (i.e. Q < 0·02 m³s^?1) were covered. Using field data, where measured ephemeral gully channel width was attributed to a calculated peak runoff discharge on sealed cropland, the application field of the regression equation was extended towards larger discharges (i.e. 5 × 10^?4m³s^?1 < Q < 0·1 m³s^?1). Comparing W–Q relationships for concentrated flow channels revealed that the discharge exponent (b) varies from 0·3 for rills over 0·4 for gullies to 0·5 for rivers. This shift in b may be the result of: (i) differences in flow shear stress distribution over the wetted perimeter between rills, gullies and rivers, (ii) a decrease in probability of a channel formed in soil material with uniform erosion resistance from rills over gullies to rivers and (iii) a decrease in average surface slope from rills over gullies to rivers. The proposed W–Q equation for ephemeral gullies is valid for (sealed) cropland with no significant change in erosion resistance with depth. Two examples illustrate limitations of the W–Q approach. In a first example, vertical erosion is hindered by a frozen subsoil. The second example relates to a typical summer situation where the soil moisture profile of an agricultural field makes the top 0·02 m five times more erodible than the underlying soil material. For both cases observed W values are larger than those predicted by the established channel width equation for concentrated flow on cropland. For the frozen soils the equation W = 3·17 Q^0·368 (R² = 0·78; n = 617) was established, but for the summer soils no equation could be established. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the triaxiality of the earth on the basis of satellite data

Summary The evolution of the opinions as to the problem of the triaxiality of the Earth in the period prior to satellite geodesy can be seen, e.g., in[1–18]. Recently the opinion has been voiced that triaxiality is a result of the mathematical treatment of data rather than reality[19–21], especially since this is a comparatively small parameter. This opinion is not in contradiction with the results of satellite observations[22–28], but the non-zero values of the harmonic coefficients of the second degree and second order are a reality, they yield a value of the equatorial flattening of about1/90 000, and the representation of the equatorial section by an ellipse is justified even if the harmonics n=3, k=1 and n=3, k=3 have amplitudes only about half as small, and some other parameters might occur with just as much justification besides triaxiality.     

Mean Earth'S Equipotential Surface From Topex/Poseidon Altimetry

The geopotential value of W ₀ = (62 636 855.611 ± 0.008) m ² s ^–2 which specifies the equipotential surface fitting the mean ocean surface best, was obtained from four years (1993 - 1996) of TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data (AVISO, 1995). The altimeter calibration error limits the actual accuracy of W ₀ to about (0.2 - 0.5) m ² s ^–2 (2 - 5) cm. The same accuracy limits also apply to the corresponding semimajor axis of the mean Earth's level ellipsoid a = 6 378 136.72 m (mean tide system), a = 6 378 136.62 m (zero tide system), a = 6 378 136.59 m (tide-free). The variations in the yearly mean values of the geopotential did not exceed ±0.025 m ² s ^–2 (±2.5 mm).     

Geoidal Geopotential and World Height System

The geoidal geopotential value of W ₀ = 62 636 856.0 ± 0.5m ² s ^–2 , determined from the 1993 –1998 TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data, can be used to practically define and realize the World Height System. The W ₀ -value can also uniquely define the geoidal surface and is required for a number of applications, including General Relativity in precise time keeping and time definitions. Furthermore, the W ₀ -value provides a scale parameter for the Earth that is independent of the tidal reference system. All of the above qualities make the geoidal potential W ₀ ideally suited for official adoption as one of the fundamental constants, replacing the currently adopted semi-major axis a of the mean Earth ellipsoid. Vertical shifts of the Local Vertical Datum (LVD) origins can easily be determined with respect to the World Height System (defined by W ₀ ), in using the recent EGM96 gravity model and ellipsoidal height observations (e.g. GPS) at levelling points. Using this methodology the LVD vertical displacements for the NAVD88 (North American Vertical Datum 88), NAP (Normaal Amsterdams Peil), AMD (Australian Height Datum), KHD (Kronstadt Height Datum), and N60 (Finnish Height Datum) were determined with respect to the proposed World Height System as follows: –55.1 cm, –11.0 cm, +42.4 cm, –11.1 cm and +1.8 cm, respectively.     

Variation of lunar and solar geomagnetic tides with sunspot and geomagnetic activity

Summary Solar and lunar geomagnetic tides inH at Alibag have been determined by spectral analysis of discrete Fourier transforms following the method of Black and the well-known Chapman-Miller method. The seasonal variation inL ₂(H) is opposite to that inL ₂(D) with maximum in thed season and minimum in thej season. In bothH andD the enhancement due to sunspot activity is larger in lunar tide than in solar tide. Surprisingly, the enhancement due to magnetic activity is greater inL ₂(H) than inS ₁(H), while the contrary is true for declination. It is inferred that there is a local time component of the storm time variation contrary to the view expressed by Green and Malin. The enhancements in amplitudesL ₂ andS ₁ inH andD, due to sunspot activity and due to magnetic activity, have been separated. The results show that the amplitude at zero sunspot number increases with magnetic activity in all the four parameters, while the enhancement due to sunspot activity at different levels of magnetic activity decreases with increase ofK _p. But if bothK _p andR are increasing, whenK _p increases enhancement due toR decreases and whenR increases enhancement due toK _p decreases.     

矩震级及震源机制相似地震的辐射能量差别——2014年鲁甸地震与景谷地震宽频带体波震级的比较

2014年8月3日鲁甸地震和10月7日景谷地震具有相似的矩震级和震源机制,但所造成的灾害却相差甚远。为考察地震辐射能量在这两次地震致灾过程中的作用,本文利用震中距6°~80°范围内记录了鲁甸地震的142个台站、记录了景谷地震的138个台站的宽频带地震记录,计算了累积宽频带体波震级m_(Bc)。结果表明鲁甸地震的m_(Bc)高于景谷地震,因此地震辐射能量的差别对解释两次地震灾害的差别有不可忽视的作用。     

Transitions to chaotic thermal convection in a rapidly rotating spherical fluid shell

Abstract

Numerical simulations of thermal convection in a rapidly rotating spherical fluid shell heated from below and within have been carried out with a nonlinear, three-dimensional, time-dependent pseudospectral code. The investigated phenomena include the sequence of transitions to chaos and the differential mean zonal rotation. At the fixed Taylor number T _a =10⁶ and Prandtl number Pr=1 and with increasing Rayleigh number R, convection undergoes a series of bifurcations from onset of steadily propagating motions SP at R=R _c = 13050, to a periodic state P, and thence to a quasi-periodic state QP and a non-periodic or chaotic state NP. Examples of SP, P, QP, and NP solutions are obtained at R = 1.3R _c , R = 1.7 R _c , R = 2R _c , and R = 5 R _c , respectively. In the SP state, convection rolls propagate at a constant longitudinal phase velocity that is slower than that obtained from the linear calculation at the onset of instability. The P state, characterized by a single frequency and its harmonics, has a two-layer cellular structure in radius. Convection rolls near the upper and lower surfaces of the spherical shell both propagate in a prograde sense with respect to the rotation of the reference frame. The outer convection rolls propagate faster than those near the inner shell. The physical mechanism responsible for the time-periodic oscillations is the differential shear of the convection cells due to the mean zonal flow. Meridional transport of zonal momentum by the convection cells in turn supports the mean zonal differential rotation. In the QP state, the longitudinal wave number m of the convection pattern oscillates among m = 3,4,5, and 6; the convection pattern near the outer shell has larger m than that near the inner shell. Radial motions are very weak in the polar regions. The convection pattern also shifts in m for the NP state at R = 5R _c , whose power spectrum is characterized by broadened peaks and broadband background noise. The convection pattern near the outer shell propagates prograde, while the pattern near the inner shell propagates retrograde with respect to the basic rotation. Convection cells exist in polar regions. There is a large variation in the vigor of individual convection cells. An example of a more vigorously convecting chaotic state is obtained at R = 50R _c . At this Rayleigh number some of the convection rolls have axes perpendicular to the axis of the basic rotation, indicating a partial relaxation of the rotational constraint. There are strong convective motions in the polar regions. The longitudinally averaged mean zonal flow has an equatorial superrotation and a high latitude subrotation for all cases except R = 50R _c , at this highest Rayleigh number, the mean zonal flow pattern is completely reversed, opposite to the solar differential rotation pattern.