Testing of the IERS2000 Sub-Daily Earth Rotation Parameter Model

The differences between the new International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) 2000 and the previous IERS1996 sub-daily Earth rotation parameters (ERP) models can reach 0.1 mas (0.001 arc sec) and 0.1 mas/day. The largest differences are seen for the aliasing periods of 14.2 and 360 days, which correspond to the diurnal tidal waves of O1 and (K1, P1), respectively. Precise independent polar motion (PM) rate solutions effectively doubles the sampling rate and allows for effective testing of sub-daily ERP models and other periodical effects at the diurnal and semi-diurnal frequency bands. Since November 12, 2000, when the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Analysis Center of International GPS Service (IGS) has switched to the conventional IERS1996 sub-daily ERP model, from the older model of Herring and Dog (1994), the JPL daily PM rate solutions show no, or greatly reduced 14.2 day amplitude (O1) peaks. This confirmed that the anomalistic amplitudes at 14.2 day period seen for JPL PM solutions prior November 12, 2000 was largely due to the effects of the older sub-daily ERP model on independent PM rate solutions. As indicated by the latest IGS PM rate solutions, which were corrected for the IERS1996 and 2000 model differences, the new IERS2000 sub-daily ERP model is expected to perform equally well as the conventional IERS1996 model.