Using GRACE to Explain Variations in the Earth's Oblateness

Yu Sun; Riccardo Riva; Pavel Ditmar; Roelof Rietbroek

doi:10.1029/2018GL080607

Using GRACE to Explain Variations in the Earth's Oblateness

Yu Sun^*, Riccardo Riva, Pavel Ditmar, Roelof Rietbroek

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physical and Space Geodesy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

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Abstract

We present a new approach to estimate time variations in J2. Those variations are represented as the sum of contributions from individual sources. This approach uses solely Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) data and the geoid fingerprints of mass redistributions that take place both at the surface and in the interior of the solid Earth. The results agree remarkably well with those based on satellite laser ranging, while estimates of the sources explain the observed variations in J2. Seasonal variations are dominated by terrestrial water storage and by mass redistribution in the atmosphere and ocean. Trends, however, are primarily controlled by the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and by glacial isostatic adjustment. The positive trend from surface mass variations is larger than the negative trend due to glacial isostatic adjustment and leads to an overall rising trend during the GRACE period (2002–2017).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	158-168
Number of pages	11
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	46
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080607
Publication status	Published - 2019

Keywords

C
Earth's dynamic oblateness
geoid fingerprints
GRACE
J
mass redistribution
J(2)
C-20

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1029/2018GL080607

Sun_et_al-2019-Geophysical_Research_LettersFinal published version, 1.21 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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abstract = "We present a new approach to estimate time variations in J2. Those variations are represented as the sum of contributions from individual sources. This approach uses solely Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) data and the geoid fingerprints of mass redistributions that take place both at the surface and in the interior of the solid Earth. The results agree remarkably well with those based on satellite laser ranging, while estimates of the sources explain the observed variations in J2. Seasonal variations are dominated by terrestrial water storage and by mass redistribution in the atmosphere and ocean. Trends, however, are primarily controlled by the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and by glacial isostatic adjustment. The positive trend from surface mass variations is larger than the negative trend due to glacial isostatic adjustment and leads to an overall rising trend during the GRACE period (2002–2017).",

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journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

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Using GRACE to Explain Variations in the Earth's Oblateness

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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