Analysis of the tidal gravity observations in Three Gorges reservoir area

The comparative observations of the tidal gravity in Three Gorges reservoir area, recorded with the LCR-ET20 gravimeter from Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and the DZW-9 gravimeter from Institute of Seismology, China Earthquake Administration, are introduced. High-accuracy tidal gravity parameters in this area are obtained, and the scale factor of the DZW-9 gravimeter is also estimated at a value of -（756.06±0.05）×10^-8 m-s^-2V^-1. The observed residuals of the corresponding instruments are investigated. Numerical results indicate that the long-term drift of the DZW-9 gravimeter appears a linear characteristic, and the observed accuracy is of the same order comparing with that of the LCR-ET20 gravimeter. The results given in the paper can provide with an effective reference model of the tidal gravity correction to the ground based and space geodesy.

Coseismic Effects of the 2011 Magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake Measured at Far East Russia Continental Coast by Gravity and GPS Methods

This work presents the results of complex gravity observation performed at Shults Cape, Gamov peninsula (42.58°N, 131.15°E), Russia. Absolute laser gravimeter GABL type and Scintrex type relative gravimeter were used for measurement. To investigate the accuracy of tidal corrections we compared the observed tidal parameters of the main tidal waves O1 and M2 with modeled ones computed from 6 different ocean tidal models: CSR4, FES02, FES04, GOT00, NAO99 and TPX06. After discussion a theoretical model based on TPX06 ocean tides model and DDW99 non hydrostatic body tides model was used for tidal correction of absolute gravity data. Preliminary estimate of gravity effect induced by the Tohoku-Oki earthquake of11 March 2011Mw = 9.0 at Primorye territory (Russia) was found to be 5.1 ± 2.0 μGal. Co-seismic crustal displacements revealed by GPS data at Far EastRussiacontinental coast are also investigated. Volumetric dilatation of this area is observed at +1.7 × 10-8 level.

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 measurements recorded simultaneously at the same site. The results indicate that there exist decade-scale variations in the FCN period. The results should be further confirmed by the measurements using other space-based geodetic techniques （such as the very long baseline interferometry） and the SG observations from globally distributed stations.