The atmospheric excitation of earth orientation changes during MERITGeodetic estimates of earth orientation variations detected during the MERIT campaign (September 1983-November 1984) are compared with corresponding meteorological data. The geodetic data were obtained using VLBI, lunar laser ranging, and satellite laser ranging and the meteorological data were from the NMC in the U.S. and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMRWF) in the U.K. The effects of changes in pressure, wind, and the inverted barometer ocean response on the excitation of the polar motion and the length of day are examined. The comparison between the meteorological and geodetic data reveals that the equatorial vector component of the atmospheric angular momentum (AAM) has significant annual and semiannual variations. Good correlation is detected between the geodetic polar motion data and the NMC pressure inverted barometer data combined with the ECMRWF wind estimates and semiannual agreement with the NMC pressure data is observed. There is also good correlation between the ECMRWF and NMC polar vector component of the AAM data and the geodetic length of day estimates, and good semiannual agreement with NMC pressure data is noted.
Document ID
19870048884
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Eubanks, T. M. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Steppe, J. A. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Dickey, J. O. (California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)