Study of the Earth’s free core nutation by tidal gravity data recorded with international superconducting gravimeters

By stacking high-precision tidal gravity observations obtained with superconducting gravimeters at six stations in China, Japan, Belgium, France, Germany and Finland, the local systematical discrepancies in the parameter fitting, caused by atmospheric, oceanic tidal loading and the other local environmental perturbations, are eliminated effectively. As a result, the resonance parameters of the Earth’s free core nutation are accurately determined. In this study, the eigenperiod of free core nutation is given as 429.0 sidereal days, which is in agreement with those published in the previous studies. It is about 30 sidereal days less than those calculated in theoretical models (about 460 sidereal days), which confirms the real ellipticity of the fluid core of the Earth to be about 5% larger than the one expected in assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. The quality factor (Q value) of free core nutation is given as about 9543, which, compared with those determined before based on the body tide observations, is much larger, but more close to those obtained using the VLBI observations. The complex resonance strength is also determined as (−6.10×10⁻⁴, −0.01 ×10⁻⁴)°/h, which can principally describe the deformation characteristics of an anelastic mantle.     

Earth's free core nutation determined using C032 superconducting gravimeter at station Wuhan/China

The long series tidal gravity observations from 1997 to 2002 recorded with C032 superconducting gravimeter (SG) at station Wuhan/China are used in order to study the Earth's geodynamics. The tidal gravity parameters are determined precisely using Eterna software package after careful data pre-processing. The Earth's free core nutation (FCN) resonant parameters (eigenperiods, quality factors and resonant strengths) are determined accurately. The results show the determined eigenperiod to be 431.0 sidereal days with an accuracy of ±1.81%, the quality factor is a negative one as of −7002, and the resonance strength can be explained by the elastic property of the Earth's mantle. The discrepancy of the eigenperiods when using various ocean models can amount to ±1.8%. The 30 sidereal days difference between the determined eigenperiod in this paper and the one in theoretical computation given by Wahr and Bergen can be explained by the real dynamic ellipticity of the Earth's liquid core, i.e., it is about 5% larger than the one under the hydrostatic equilibrium assumption.     

北京地区最新重力潮汐结果及其在检测液核共振效应中的应用

利用中国计量科学研究院北京昌平基地iGrav-012超导重力仪最新观测资料,对其作仔细地预处理,根据调和分析方法精密测定了重力潮汐参数,基于负荷理论与卷积积分技术获得了包含HAM11a,DTU10,EOT11a在内的14个全球海潮模型的重力海潮负荷效应,利用近周日频段内潮波振幅因子的共振效应求解了自由核章动(FCN)的本征参数.调和分析结果表明,重力潮汐的观测精度非常高,标准差达到1.184nm·s-2.基于加汉宁窗的快速傅里叶变换方法获得地震频段的地震噪声等级(SNM)为0.206,说明该台站是低背景噪声的.周日主波O1和K1经海潮模型作负荷效应改正的平均有效性分别为83%和85%;使用13个高精度海潮模型进行迭积计算获得的FCN本征周期为430.0(427.8,432.3)恒星日,品质因子Q值为-5137.     

Free core nutation period inferred from the gravity measurements at Józefosław

The Free Core Nutation (FCN) is an important eigenmode which affects both Earth rotation and body tide. The FCN parameters, the resonance period and the quality factor are important for understanding the dynamics of the Earth at nearly diurnal periods. Those parameters are usually estimated either from the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of nutation, or from the tidal gravity measurements. In this paper we investigate the determination of the FCN parameters from gravity records covering a period of more than three years, collected with the use of a LaCoste&Romberg Earth Tide no. 26 gravimeter, located at Józefos?aw observatory near Warsaw. From the resonant enhancements of gravimetric factors and phases of diurnal tidal gravity waves, we could infer the FCN period to be equal to 430 sidereal days. This result is in very good agreement with previous gravimetric and VLBI nutation results, confirming the discrepancy in the dynamic flattening of the outer liquid core from its theoretical value based on the hydrostatic equilibrium assumption. The estimated FCN quality factor (Q ≈ 1300) is considerably smaller than the VLBI nutation result, which confirms that the local gravity measurements are more sensitive than VLBI global analyses to site-dependent phenomena (such as atmospheric and indirect ocean tidal effects). We also investigated the importance of gravimetric corrections in the FCN analysis, including numerical tests and simulations. This allowed us to estimate the uncertainty of FCN parameters due to improper or incomplete set of environmental corrections. We took also into account the impact of gravimetric factor errors and tidal wave selection on estimated FCN parameters. We demonstrated that despite relatively noisy measurements due to unfavorable gravimeter location, we were able to obtain very good results in case when proper correction and tidal wave selection were applied.     

Temporal variations in free core nutation period

Based on the nearly diurnal resonance in the tidal gravity observations,the temporal variations in period of the Earth's free core nutation (FCN) are investigated by using the tidal gravity observations of 18-year duration recorded continu-ously with a superconducting gravimeter (SG) at Brussels. The effects of the global oceanic tide loading and local barometric pressure on the SG observations have been removed by using eleven high-precision global digital models of oceanic tides and barometric pressure me...     

Parameters of the fluid core resonance inferred from superconducting gravimeter data

We have estimated the parameters of fluid core resonance (FCR) due to the nearly diurnal free wobble of the Earth's core based on the superconducting gravimeter (SG) data obtained at the following four observation sites; Esashi and Matsushiro in Japan, Canberra in Australia and Membach in Belgium. By fitting the tidal admittances normalized with the O1 wave at each site to a model of the damped harmonic oscillator, we obtained values of 429.66 ± 1.43 sidereal days, 9350–10,835, −4.828E−4 ± 3.4E−6, −3.0E−5 ± 4.5E−6 for the eigenperiod, the Q-value and the real and imaginary parts of the resonance strength, respectively. Our values obtained from only using the gravity data are very consistent with those inferred from the VLBI nutation data. Our study strongly indicates that the systematic difference between two estimations from the gravity and the nutation in particular for the Q-value, which has been shown in previous works, is mainly caused by the inaccurate correction for the ocean tide effects. The error in the ocean tide correction is discussed based on the comparison among four global ocean tide models; Schwiderski model (1980), NAO.99b (Matsumoto et al., 2000), CSR4.0 (Eanes and Bettadpur, 1994) and GOT99.2b (Ray, 1999).     

International tidal gravity reference values at Wuhan station

The international tidal gravity reference values at Wuhan station are determined accurately based on the comprehensive analysis of the tidal gravity observations obtained from 8 instruments. By comparing these with those in the tidal models given by Dehant (1997) while considering simultaneously (i) the global satellite altimeters tidal data, and (ii) the Schwiderski global tidal data and the local ones along the coast of China, it is found that the average discrepancy of the amplitude factors and of the phase differences for four main waves are given as 5.2% and 3.6% and as 0.16° and 0.08° respectively. They are improved evidently compared to those determined in early stage, indicating the important procedures in improving the Wuhan international tidal gravity reference values when including the long-series observations obtained with a superconducting gravimeter, and when considering the influence of the ocean loading and of the nearly daily free wobble of the Earth’s core.     

Determination of the Earth＇s free core nutation parameters by using tidal gravity data

The Earth＇s free core nutation （FCN） is a retrograde eigenrnode which is attributed to the interaction between the solid mantle and the liquid core of the rotational elliptical Earth. This mode appears as an eigenmode of nearly diurnal free wobble （NDFW） in a terrestrial reference frame with a period of about one day （XU et al, 2001）. Therefore, the NDFW will lead to an obvious resonance enhancement in the diurnal tidal gravity observations, especially those of the tidal waves with frequencies closed to its eigenfrequency such as P1, K1, ψ1 and Ф1. The FCN resonance parameters can be retrieved accurately by high-precision tidal gravity observations, especially those recorded with the superconducting gravimeters （SG）. The Global Geodynamics Project （GGP） organized by IUGG took it as an important content for determining the FCN resonance parameters by using gravity data. However, the results are affected by many factors such as station location, background noise, the selection of the tide-generating potential tables, ocean tide models, data processing techniques and so on. In our study, the FCN parameters will be retrieved by using the SG observations at Wuhan, and the effects of the choices of various tide-generating potential tables, oceanic models and weight functions on the estimation of the FCN parameters will be discussed in detail,     

Investigation of the time variability of diurnal tides and resonant FCN period

The time variability of diurnal tides was investigated by analyzing gravity observations from global superconducting gravimeter (SG) stations with running time intervals. Through least-square and Bayesian approaches, FCN resonance parameters were estimated for each data section after obtaining the tidal parameters of mainly diurnal tidal waves. The correlation of the time variation in diurnal tidal waves and FCN period was discussed. For comparison, a similar method was used to analyze VLBI observations to study the time variability of nutation terms and FCN period. The variation trend of the FCN period totally depends on the Ψ1 wave in tidal gravity and on the retrograde annual term in nutation. We observed a similar variation trend in the FCN periods obtained from different SG stations worldwide and VLBI observations. The relation between diurnal tides and LOD variations is discussed and the possible mechanisms of the decadal variation in FCN periods were discussed.     

超导重力技术在探讨核幔边界黏性特征中的初步应用

旋转椭球型地球的固体地幔与液态地核间相互作用而产生的逆向本征模通常称之为地球自由核章动,自由核章动的品质因子（Q值）能有效反映核幔边界层能量耗散特征,与核幔边界的黏滞度密切相关.本文首次利用全球地球动力学计划网络23个台站27组高密度采样的高精度超导重力仪器观测数据,采用迭积技术,确定了自由核章动参数Q值,进而计算了核幔边界的黏滞系数.数值结果说明获得的核幔边界动力学黏滞系数达到10³ Pa·s量级,与加拿大科学家Smylie等利用VLBI观测资料获得的最新结果一致,这说明重力技术是有效应用于研究地球深内部结构的重要手段之一.     

地球重力场的精细频谱结构及其应用

综述了近年内在全球地球动力学合作观测和研究网络框架下开展的重力场观测、频谱结构和应用研究方面的成果. 内容涉及精密大气、海潮负荷信号检测, 重力潮汐和自由核章动参数测定, 海潮模型和重力固体潮模型有效性检验, 重力潮汐实验模型构制, 地球球型基频和低阶震型谱峰分裂现象和地球Chandler摆动等方面. 文章还介绍了综合现代大地测量技术, 全球超导重力仪的长期、连续观测在地表水循环、同震和震后形变、地球慢形变和地壳垂直运动等方面将发挥重要作用的情况.     

利用VLBI和超导重力资料研究自由核章动周期时变特征

本文根据自由核章动在章动观测和时变重力观测中引起的与其频率相近的受迫章动项或固体潮潮波的共振特性,选取6个不同机构解算的VLBI天极偏差序列和全球超导重力仪网络提供的7个台站高精度时变重力观测资料,根据加权最小二乘方法拟合地球自由核章动参数,研究其本征周期的时间变化特征.VLBI资料获得的本征周期变化幅度在1天之内,存在十年尺度的时间变化特征,迭积多台站同时段重力资料获得的自由核章动本征周期时变特征与VLBI获得的结果相比变化幅度较大,但趋势大致符合.在此基础上,通过自由核章动的理论模型探讨了影响其本征周期的几个主要因素,结果表明FCN周期变化与电磁耦合存在相关性,核幔边界磁感应强度径向分量变化导致的电磁耦合的变化可能是造成FCN周期时变性的原因.     

利用超导重力仪观测资料检测地球近周日共振

简要介绍了地球近周日摆动（ＮＤＦＷ）及其在周日重力潮汐中共振的理论背景,利用武汉和Ｂｒｕｓｓｅｌｓ两台站超导重力仪的潮汐观测结果,采用造积方法（Ｓｔａｃｋｉｎｇｍｅｔｈｏｄ）检测ＮＤＦＷ,根据ＮＤＦＷ在４个周日潮波的共振,得到近周日摆动的本征频率和品质因子．考虑ＮＤＦＷ,可精化地球模型,更客观的理解和分析固体潮观测值和其它一些地球物理现象．     

A global experimental model for gravity tides of the Earth

The long-term, continuous and high-quality tidal gravity data, recorded with the superconducting gravimeters (SGs) at 19 stations in the Global Geodynamics Project (GGP), were simultaneously used to investigate the global pattern of the tidal gravity variations. The atmospheric effects were removed from the gravity observations by using the simultaneous pressure records at the stations. A total of six global co-tidal models were employed to remove the loading effects of oceanic tides. The resonance parameters of the Earth's free core nutation (FCN), as well as the spheroidal constant components in the gravimetric factors of waves O₁ and M₂, were accurately retrieved. As a result, a global experimental model for gravity tides (GEMGT) was developed, considering the nearly diurnal resonance and the latitude-dependence of the gravimetric amplitude factors. The final results indicate that the mean discrepancy of the four main tidal waves (i.e. O₁, K₁, M₂ and S₂) between the GEMGT and SG observations is less than 0.2% on average. The GEMGT is in good agreement with the theoretical models based on the inelastic non-hydrostatic equilibrium Earth models [Dehant, V., Defraigne, P., Wahr, J., 1999. Tides for a convective Earth. J. Geophys. Res. 104, 1035–1058; Mathews, P.M., 2001. Love numbers and gravimetric factor for diurnal tides. J. Geodetic Soc. Jpn. 46 (4), 231–236] with a mean discrepancy less than 0.15%. However, the GEMGT is in closer accordance with the theoretical model given by Mathews [Mathews, P.M., 2001. Love numbers and gravimetric factor for diurnal tides. J. Geodetic Soc. Jpn. 46 (4), 231–236] for the diurnal tides while it is in closer agreement with one obtained by Dehant et al. [Dehant, V., Defraigne, P., Wahr, J., 1999. Tides for a convective Earth. J. Geophys. Res. 104, 1035–1058] for the semi-diurnal tides.     

Study on tidal gravity observations obtained at stations Zhongshan and Changcheng, Antarctic

IntroductionThe purpose of the studies on the tidal gravity observations on the Earth(s surface is to investigate the properties of the deformation and the tidal gravity variations of the Earth under the action of the luni-solar tidal force. These variations relate to the internal structure, shape and the medium(s rheology properties of the Earth (Wahr, 1981; Dehant, 1987). The theoretical studies and observations indicated that the amplitudes and the tidal parameters, including the amplitud…     

Comparison between inelastic earth models constructed from astrometric and tidal gravity data

As was shown in [Molodensky, 2004a, 2004b], modern very long base interferometer (VLBI) data on the amplitudes and phases of the Earth’s forced nutation can provide significantly more rigid constraints on possible values of the quality factor of the lower mantle Q _μ and on the dynamic flattening of the liquid core e _lc as compared with seismic evidence and data on damping of the free oscillations of the Earth. On the other hand, the accuracy of modern tidal gravity data (obtained from twenty-year series of observations with a cryogenic gravimeter) is also very high and these data must be taken into account while estimating the parameters Q _μ and e _lc . The paper presents comparative estimates of the determination accuracy of the parameters Q _μ and the dynamic flattening of the liquid core from VLBI and the aforementioned tidal gravity data.     

应用精密引潮力位展开建立刚体地球章动序列

通过对Melchior P.潮汐与章动理论的改进，给出了高阶日月引潮力位引起的岁差章动力矩，建立了刚体地球极移和章动的联合动力学方程，由此对天球中间极（CIP）进行了严格的理论定义. 在各阶潮汐力矩的作用下，得到CIP轴岁差章动的表达式. 通过推导发现，奇数阶引潮力位产生的岁差章动力矩使得黄经章动和交角章动出现了异向项（即：黄经章动出现了cos项，交角章动出现了sin项）. 最后利用郗钦文精密引潮力位展开，建立了737项刚体地球章动序列. 新的章动序列是IERS2003采用的刚体地球章动序列REN2000（包含678个日月章动项）的一个补充.     

Resonance and sea level variability in Chesapeake Bay

A numerical model is used to determine the resonant period and quality factor Q of Chesapeake Bay and explore physical mechanisms controlling the resonance response in semi-enclosed seas. At the resonant period of 2 days, the mouth-to-head amplitude gain is 1.42 and Q is 0.9, indicating that Chesapeake Bay is a highly dissipative system. The modest amplitude gain results from strong frictional dissipation in shallow water. It is found that the spatial distribution of energy dissipation varies with forcing frequency. While energy at tidal frequencies is dissipated around topographic hotspots distributed throughout the Bay, energy dissipation at subtidal frequencies is mainly concentrated in the shallow-water lower Bay. An analytic calculation shows that the bottom friction parameter is much larger in Chesapeake Bay than in other coastal systems with strong resonance response. The model-predicted amplitude gains and phase changes agree well with the observations at semidiurnal and diurnal tidal frequencies. However, the predicted amplitude gain in the resonant frequency band (34–54 h period) falls below that inferred from band-passed sea level observations. This discrepancy can be attributed to the local wind forcing which amplifies the sea level response in the upper Bay. The model is also used to show that rising sea levels associated with global warming will shift the resonance period of Chesapeake Bay closer to the diurnal tides and thus exacerbate flooding problems by causing an increase in tidal ranges.     

On asymptotics of low-frequency oscillations of the liquid core: 2. Frequency dependence of the inertial core-mantle coupling

New, unique information on the inertial and dissipative coupling of the liquid core and the mantle has been retrieved from modern high-precision (radiointerferometer and GPS) data on tidal variations in the rotation velocity and nutation of the Earth. Comparison of theoretical and observed data provided new estimates for the dynamic flattening of the outer liquid and the inner solid cores, mantle quality factor, viscosity of the liquid core, and electromagnetic coupling of the liquid core and the mantle [Molodensky, 2004, 2006]. As was shown in the first part of the paper [Molodensky, 2008] (further referred to as [I]), generation of eddy flows in Proudman-Taylor columns, whose orientation is controlled by the topography of the liquid core-mantle boundary, should be taken into account for correct estimation of the inertial coupling (see formulas (8) and (34) in [I]). The range of periods within which this effect plays a significant role is determined by the decay time of these flows. This time is estimated in the paper for the case where dissipation is related to viscous friction at the core-mantle boundary or with the electromagnetic coupling of the liquid core and the mantle. Because of significant uncertainties in modern data on the viscosity of the liquid core, the magnetic field intensity at the core-mantle boundary, and the electrical conductivity of the lower mantle, the dissipative coupling of the liquid core and the mantle cannot be calculated as yet. However, as shown in the paper, the decay time of eddy flows is connected with the attenuation time of subdiurnal free nutation and with the liquid core viscosity. This enables the estimation of the frequency dependence of the dissipative coupling in a fairly wide range. It is shown that the range of periods for which relations (8) and (34) in [I] are valid encompasses the best-studied length-of-day variations and, therefore, these relations are applicable to analysis of the majority of modern data.     

Correctives to the scheme of the Earth’s structure inferred from new data on nutation,tides, and free oscillations

When analyzing the new high-accuracy observations of the forced nutation and tidal variations in the acceleration of gravity, it was found that they are in sharp contradiction to the present-day models of the Earth’s interior based on seismic data and the data on the periods and damping constants of the free oscillations of the Earth. The elimination of these contradictions requires analyzing the uniqueness of the interpretation of the free oscillations of the Earth, taking into account the new data.