| Abstract: | This paper describes methods for combining independent observations of polar motion into a single time series, and applies these methods to satellite laser ranging, Doppler, and astrometric polar motion data taken over the period 1981--1983. The polar motion data are treated as complex valued time series, yielding one estimate of the noise level for each series, rather than a separate estimate for X and Y components. Estimates of the noise level which take advantage of the existence of simultaneous observations are preferred. Linear combination of the data may be performed in both the time and the frequency domain, and examples of each are present. The results of analyzing three years of observations show little difference between the Allan and conventional variance. Present day Doppler determinations do not show marked improvement compared to classical astrometric results. Thus, the astrometric observations are still useful. |
