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Sub‐milliarcsecond determination of pole position using Global Positioning System data
Author(s) -
Herring Thomas A.,
Dong Danan,
King Robert W.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/91gl02306
Subject(s) - very long baseline interferometry , geodesy , satellite laser ranging , global positioning system , position (finance) , root mean square , earth's rotation , remote sensing , geology , ranging , rotation (mathematics) , satellite , universal time , physics , optics , laser ranging , mathematics , computer science , laser , astronomy , geometry , telecommunications , finance , quantum mechanics , economics
We discuss the determination of pole‐position variations from the analysis of 23 days of Global Positioning System (GPS) data continuously collected with a globally distributed, 21‐station network. The comparison of the estimated pole positions from these data with results from 11 very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiments conducted during this same interval yields weighted root‐mean square differences about the mean differences of 0.5 mas for both X‐ and Y‐pole position estimates from an analysis using single‐day arcs, and 1.0 and 0.8 mas from an analysis using three weekly multiday arcs. These results are of sufficient quality that GPS could provide an alternative technique to VLBI and satellite laser ranging (SLR) for regular monitoring of high‐time‐resolution variations in the position of the Earth's rotation axis.