A New Global Mode of Earth Deformation: Seasonal Cycle Detected | Zendy

G. Blewitt | Zendy; David Lavallée | Zendy; Peter J. Clarke | Zendy; K. Nurutdinov | Zendy

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A New Global Mode of Earth Deformation: Seasonal Cycle Detected

Author(s) -

G. Blewitt,

David Lavallée,

Peter J. Clarke,

K. Nurutdinov

Publication year - 2001

Publication title -

science

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 12.556

H-Index - 1186

eISSN - 1095-9203

pISSN - 0036-8075

DOI - 10.1126/science.1065328

Subject(s) - equator , southern hemisphere , geology , northern hemisphere , geodesy , snow , inversion (geology) , atmospheric sciences , climatology , latitude , seismology , geomorphology , tectonics

We have detected a global mode of Earth deformation that is predicted by theory. Precise positioning of Global Positioning System sites distributed worldwide reveals that during February to March, the Northern Hemisphere compresses (and the Southern Hemisphere expands), such that sites near the North Pole move downward by 3.0 millimeters, and sites near the equator are pulled northward by 1.5 millimeters. The opposite pattern of deformation occurs during August to September. We identify this pattern as the degree-one spherical harmonic response of an elastic Earth to increased winter loading of soil moisture, snow cover, and atmosphere. Data inversion shows the load moment's trajectory as a great circle traversing the continents, peaking at 6.9 x 10(22) kilogram meters near the North Pole in winter, indicating interhemispheric mass exchange of 1.0 x 10(16) +/- 0.2 x 10(16) kilograms.

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