Abstract
The rotational orientation of the earth (UTO at McDonald Observatory) has been determined from lunar laser ranging (LLR) measurements for the interval 1971 to 1980. The results have been differenced from those obtained by conventional means as published by the Bureau International de l’Heure (BIH), on its 1979 system. The difference displays a quasi-seasonal signature, which we ascribe to systematic errors in the conventional measurements. The lunar data are well represented by a smooth curve, which gives UTO at McDonald with a precision of about 3/4 milliseconds or better, and UT1 to within 1 millisecond using BIH polar coordinates.
The amplitude spectrum of the UT1 differences (LLR-BIH) displays highest values at low frequencies, and diminishes toward higher frequencies until a white noise regime is reached for periods of 70 days or less. This suggests that a moderately smoothed version of UT1, corresponding to a Gaussian filter of the form exp{−t2/2σ2} with σ = 10 or 12 days, will usually be a good representation of Earth rotation. However, there appear to be short episodes of high acceleration revealed by the LLR data, showing that there are intervals during which frequent observation is scientifically valuable.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Calame, O.: 1980, “Earth Rotation by Lunar Distances (EROLD),” Annual Report for 1979, Bureau International de l’Heure, Paris, France.
Dickey, J. O., Williams, J. G., and Yoder, C. F.: 1980, “Results from Lunar Laser Ranging,” EOS 61, 46, p. 939.
Fricke, W.: 1981, Astron. and. Astrophys., in press.
Harris, A. W. and Williams, J. G.: 1977, in Scientific Applications of Lunar Laser Ranging, pp. 179–190, ed. J. D. Mulholland, D. Reidel, Dordrecht-Holland.
King, R. W., Counselman, C. C., and Shapiro, I. I.: 1978, J. Geophys. Res., 83, B7, PP. 3377–3381.
Langley, R. B., King, R. W., and Shapiro, I. I.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res., in press.
Lieske, J. H., Lederle, T., Fricke, W., and Morando, W.: 1977, Astron. and Astrophys. 58. 1.
Lieske, J. H.: 1979, Astron. and Astrophys. 73, 282.
Merriam, J. B. and Lambeck, K.: 1980, Geophys. J. Royal Astron. Soc. 62, 551.
Seidelmann, P. K., Abalakin, V. K., Kinoshita, H., Kovalevsky, J., Murray, C. A., Smith, M. L., Vicente, R. O., Williams, J. G., and Yatskiv, Ya S.: 1982, Celestial Mechanics, in press.
Shelus, P. J., Evans, S. W., and Mulholland, J. D.: 1977, in Scientific Applications Lunar Laser Ranging, pp. 191–200, D. Mulholland, D. Reidel, Dordrecht-Holland.
Stolz, A., Bender, P. L., Faller, J. E., Silverberg, E. C., Mulholland, J. D., Shelus, P. J., Williams, J. G., Carter, W. E., Currie, D. G., and Kaula, W. M.: 1976, Science, 133, pp. 997–999.
Wahr, J. M., Sasso, T., and Smith, M. L., 1981: Geophys. J. Roval Astron. Soc. 64, pp. 635–650.
Williams, J. G. and Melbourne, W. G.: 1982 , these proceedings, pp. 293–303.
Yoder, C. F., Williams, J. G., and Parke, M. E.: 1981, J. Geophvs. Res. 86, 881.
Yoder, C. F., Williams, J. G., Parke, M. E., and Dickey, J. O.: 1981, Annales de Geophysique, in press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 D. Reidel Publishing Company
About this paper
Cite this paper
Fliegel, H.F., Dickey, J.O., Williams, J.G. (1982). Intercomparison of Lunar Laser and Traditional Determinations of Earth Rotation. In: Calame, O. (eds) High-Precision Earth Rotation and Earth-Moon Dynamics. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 94. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7807-2_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7807-2_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-7809-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-7807-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive