Open AccessEarth rotation measurement yields valuable information about the dynamics of the Earth system
Author(s) -
Clark T. A.,
Ma C.,
Ryan J. W.,
Chao B. F.,
Gipson J. M.,
MacMillan D. S.,
Vandenberg Nancy R.,
Eubanks T. M.,
Niell A. E.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/98eo00149
Subject(s) - very long baseline interferometry , earth's rotation , earth observation , geodesy , observatory , remote sensing , universal time , polar motion , rotation (mathematics) , geodetic datum , earth system science , geology , astronomy , computer science , satellite , physics , oceanography , artificial intelligence
Intensive work in recent years has demonstrated the value of high precision and high temporal resolution in collecting Earth rotation data, paving the way for continuous measurement that will open exciting new research areas in geophysics as the new millennium unfolds. Very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) will continue to be a principal technique. However, it will have greatly improved precision and temporal resolution, making possible more in‐depth studies of geophysical phenomena affecting Earth rotation. Originally developed as a radio astronomical technique for high‐resolution mapping of distant radio sources, VLBI, when “turned around,” has become a valuable tool in geodesy. Because of its past success, a new VLBI project, Continuous Observation of the Rotation of the Earth (CORE), was launched last year. It is being implemented in phases by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in collaboration with the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) [see Ma et al. , 1997].