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At least 523 records · Page 29

Post-Correlation Processing for the VLBI2010 Proof-of-Concept System

For the past three years, the MIT Haystack Observatory and the broadband team have been developing a proof-of-concept broadband geodetic VLBI microwave (2-12 GHz) receiver. Also on-going at Haystack is the development of post-correlation processing needed to extract the geodetic observables. Using this processing, the first fully-phase-calibrated geodetic fringes have been produced from observations conducted with the proof-of-concept system. The results we present show that the phase-calibrated phase residuals from four 512 MHz bands spanning 2 GHz have an RMS phase variation of 8deg which corresponds to a delay uncertainty of 12 ps.

Beaudoin, Christopher↗

RAEGE: An Atlantic Network of Geodynamical Fundamental Stations

Project RAEGE (Red Atlantica de Estaciones Geodinamicas y Espaciales) intends to set up a Spanish-Portuguese network of four Geodetic Fundamental Stations in Yebes (1), Canary Islands (1), and A cores Islands (2), as part of the developments needed for the IVS VLBI2010 scenario. It is envisaged that each Geodetic Fundamental Station will be equipped with one radio telescope of VLBI2010 specifications (at least 12-m diameter, fast slewing speed, but also able to operate up to 40 GHz), one gravimeter, one permanent GNSS station, and, at least at the Yebes site, one SLR facility. The National Geographical Institute of Spain (IGN) has experience in VLBI, having been a member of the European VLBI Network since 1993 and being one of the founding institutions of the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE), and it has been participating in geodetic VLBI campaigns with the 14-m radio telescope in Yebes since 1995. A new 40-m radio telescope has been built and was recently put into operation. It regularly participates in IVS sessions. There is infrastructure available for the new stations at Yebes and the Canary Islands. An agreement between IGN, the Portuguese Geographical Institute (IGP), and the Regional Government of the A cores ensures that the RAEGE project can become a reality by 2013.

Gonzalez, Jesus Gomez↗

Combined Weekly Coordinate Solutions from SLR and DORIS

In International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) 2005 and ITRF2008, the approach for the construction of solutions by the IERS has been for individual analysis centers of each technique to process geodetic tracking data, and for each technique to develop a solution (or contribution) that is integrated into the final ITRF solution by careful combination of the technique solutions. The connections between the geodetic networks are realized by the application of local ties. In an alternate approach, we may assure processing homogeneity by creating normal equations for different techniques with the same orbit determination software, using identically derived algorithms. Another derivative of this approach is to realize the ties between the techniques using satellites tracked with multiple techniques; in effect tieing the networks together using satellite dynamics. In this solution, we develop a time series and a set of cumulative solutions from Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) & Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) based on homogeneous processing with the NASA GEODYN precise orbit determination suite of programs, where we jointly combine weekly the SLR data to Lageos1, Lageos2, Starlette, and Stella with the DORIS data from SPOT2-SPOT5, as well as satellites that utilize both techniques (TOPEX/Poseidon, Envisat, Jason-2). We discuss the modeling that is applied including upgrades implemented since the submission of the GSC ITRF2008 contributions for IDS. Firstly, we compare the SLR-only solutions comprising four geodetic satellites with the standard approach of utilizing only Lageos1 & Lageos2. Secondly, we evaluate the impact on the DORIS coordinates of the joint analysis with the SLR data.

Lemoine, F.↗

Lunar Topography: Results from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter

The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) onboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been operating nearly continuously since July 2009, accumulating over 6 billion measurements from more than 2 billion in-orbit laser shots. LRO's near-polar orbit results in very high data density in the immediate vicinity of the lunar poles, with full coverage at the equator from more than 12000 orbital tracks averaging less than 1 km in spacing at the equator. LRO has obtained a global geodetic model of the lunar topography with 50-meter horizontal and 1-m radial accuracy in a lunar center-of-mass coordinate system, with profiles of topography at 20-m horizontal resolution, and 0.1-m vertical precision. LOLA also provides measurements of reflectivity and surface roughness down to its 5-m laser spot size. With these data LOLA has measured the shape of all lunar craters 20 km and larger. In the proposed extended mission commencing late in 2012, LOLA will concentrate observations in the Southern Hemisphere, improving the density of the polar coverage to nearly 10-m pixel resolution and accuracy to better than 20 m total position error. Uses for these data include mission planning and targeting, illumination studies, geodetic control of images, as well as lunar geology and geophysics. Further improvements in geodetic accuracy are anticipated from the use of re ned gravity fields after the successful completion of the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission in 2012.

Neumann, Gregory↗

Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO)

HartRAO provides the only fiducial geodetic site in Africa, and it participates in global networks for VLBI, GNSS, SLR, and DORIS. This report provides an overview of geodetic VLBI activities at HartRAO during 2012, including the conversion of a 15-m alt-az radio telescope to an operational geodetic VLBI antenna.

Nickola, Marisa↗

Haystack Analysis Center

Analysis activities at Haystack Observatory are directed towards improving the accuracy of geodetic measurements, whether these are from VLBI, GNSS, SLR, or any other technique. Those analysis activities that are related to technology development are reported elsewhere in this volume. In this report, a preliminary analysis of the first geodetic sessions with the new broadband geodetic VLBI system is reported.

Niell, Arthur↗

Systems and Methods for Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis for Earthquakes

Many embodiments provide a hybrid data processing system (HySDS) of an end-to-end geodetic imaging data system enabling near-real-time science, assessment, response, and rapid recovery. The HySDS may be an operation data processing system that integrates data from many different geodetic data sources and/or sensors, including interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), GPS, pixel tracking, seismology, and/or modeling, and processes the data to generate actionable high quality science data products. The HySDS may provide for an automated imaging and analysis capabilities that is able to handle the imminent increases in raw data from new and existing geodetic monitoring sensor systems.

Owen, Susan Ethel↗

Lessons Learned from Recent Rapid Imaging of Earthquake Ruptures with Satellite Geodesy

Rapid determination of the location and extent of earthquake ruptures at the surface and at depth is helpful for disaster response, as it allows prediction of the likely area of major damage from the earthquake and can help with rescue and recovery planning. The Caltech-Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) project has responded to many recent large earthquakes to process geodetic data and help determine the location and extent of ruptures. With the increasing availability of near real-time data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) and other global navigation satellite system receivers in active tectonic regions, and with the shorter repeat times of many recent and newly launched radar satellites, geodetic data can now be obtained quickly after earthquakes or other disasters. We have been building an ARIA data system that can ingest, catalog, and process geodetic data and combine it with seismic analysis to estimate the fault rupture locations and slip distributions for large earthquakes that are on or near land.

Simons, Mark↗

Future Lunar Geophysical Mission Opportunities Including the Lunar Geophysical Network and CLPS

In the next few years, several opportunities are underway to take new geophysical observations of the Moon including geodetic and seismic. NASA’s novel Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program seeks to acquire delivery services from 14 US companies. Nine funded task orders have been selected with payloads from multiple disciplines. Here we review the upcoming geophysical CLPS payloads and their measurement objectives then we provide a review of the Lunar Geophysical Network mission in development for New Frontiers 5. The Lunar Geophysical Network (LGN) mission is proposed to land on the Moon in the early 2030’s and deploy packages at four locations to enable continuous geophysical measurements for a minimum of 6 and a goal of 10 years. Returning to the lunar surface with a long-lived geophysical network is a key next step to advance lunar and planetary science. LGN will greatly expand our primarily Apollo-based knowledge of the deep lunar interior by identifying and characterizing mantle melt layers, as well as core size and state. To meet the mission objectives, the instrument suite provides complementary seismic, geodetic, heat flow, and electromagnetic (EM) observations. We discuss the network landing site requirements and provide example sites that meet these requirements. Landing sites include the P-5 region within the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT; (lat:15˚; lon:-35˚), Schickard basin (lat:-44.3˚; lon:-55.1˚), Crisium basin (lat:18.5˚; lon:61.8˚), and the farside Korolev basin (lat:-2.4˚; lon:-159.3˚) (Figure 1). Network optimization considers the best locations to observe seismic core phases, e.g., ScS and PKP. Ray path density and proximity to young fault scarps are also analyzed to provide increased opportunities for seismic observations. Geodetic constraints from laser ranging require the LGN to have at least three nearside stations at maximum limb distances. Heat flow and EM measurements should be obtained away from terrane boundaries and from magnetic anomalies at locations representative of global trends. In our recent paper, an in-depth case study is provided for Mare Crisium. We also discuss the consequences for scientific return of less-than-optimal locations or number of stations.

Moons↗

Future Lunar Geophysical Mission Opportunities Including the Lunar Geophysical Network, Artemis and CLPS

In the next few years, several opportunities are underway to take new geophysical observations of the Moon including geodetic and seismic. NASA’s novel Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program seeks to acquire delivery services from 14 US companies. Nine funded task orders have been selected with payloads from multiple disciplines. Here we review the upcoming geophysical CLPS payloads and their measurement objectives then we provide a review of the Lunar Geophysical Network mission in development for New Frontiers 5. The Lunar Geophysical Network (LGN) mission is proposed to land on the Moon in the early 2030’s and deploy packages at four locations to enable continuous geophysical measurements for a minimum of 6 and a goal of 10 years. Returning to the lunar surface with a long-lived geophysical network is a key next step to advance lunar and planetary science. LGN will greatly expand our primarily Apollo-based knowledge of the deep lunar interior by identifying and characterizing mantle melt layers, as well as core size and state. To meet the mission objectives, the instrument suite provides complementary seismic, geodetic, heat flow, and electromagnetic (EM) observations. We discuss the network landing site requirements and provide example sites that meet these requirements. Landing sites include the P-5 region within the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT; (lat:15˚; lon:-35˚), Schickard basin (lat:-44.3˚; lon:-55.1˚), Crisium basin (lat:18.5˚; lon:61.8˚), and the farside Korolev basin (lat:-2.4˚; lon:-159.3˚) (Figure 1). Network optimization considers the best locations to observe seismic core phases, e.g., ScS and PKP. Ray path density and proximity to young fault scarps are also analyzed to provide increased opportunities for seismic observations. Geodetic constraints from laser ranging require the LGN to have at least three nearside stations at maximum limb distances. Heat flow and EM measurements should be obtained away from terrane boundaries and from magnetic anomalies at locations representative of global trends. In our recent paper, an in-depth case study is provided for Mare Crisium. We also discuss the consequences for scientific return of less-than-optimal locations or number of stations.

Moons↗

(abstract) Altimeter Calibration and Geophysical Monitoring from Collocated Measurements at the Harvest Oil Platform

Prior to the launch of TOPEX/ Poseidon in August 1992, NASA established its primary in situ verification site on the Harvest oil platform located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of central California. Data from a suite of geodetic and oceanographic instruments attached to the platform have been combined to yield a precise record of absolute sea level simce the beginning of the mission. Critical to the computation of this geocentric sea level record is the precise determination of the platform geodetic height and the vertical velocity in the global terrestrial reference frame.We compare estimates of the platform height and vertical velocity from global positioning system (GPS) data alone and from a combination of GPS and satellite laser ranging (SLR) information. Current estimates suggest the platform is subsiding at a rate of about 8 mm per year. This height information is combined with in situ tide gauge measurements of sea level relative to a platform reference mark in order to produce a continuous record of the local geocentric sea height.

Pacific Ocean geodetics oceanographic geocentric s↗

GPS

Geodetic networks support the TRF requirements of NASA ESE missions. Each of SLR, VLBI, GPS substantially and uniquely contributes to TRF determination. NASA's SLR, VLBI, and GPS groups collaborate toward wide-ranging improvements in the next 5 years. NASA leverages considerable resources through its significant activity in international services. NASA faces certain challenges in continuing and advancing these activities. The Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) is an accurate, stable set of positions and velocities. The TRF provides the stable coordinate system that allows us to link measurements over space and time. The geodetic networks provide data for determination of the TRF as well as direct science observations.

Global Positioning System (GPS)↗

Combinations of Earth Orientation Measurements: SPACE2005, COMB2005, and POLE2005

Independent Earth orientation measurements taken by the space-geodetic techniques of lunar and satellite laser ranging, by very long baseline interferometry, and by the Global Positioning System have been combined using a Kalman filter. The resulting combined Earth orientation series, SPACE2005, consists of values and uncertainties for Universal Time, polar motion, and their rates that span from September 28, 1976, to January 7, 2006, at daily intervals and is available in versions whose epochs are given at either midnight or noon. The space-geodetic measurements used to generate SPACE2005 have then been combined with optical astrometric measurements to form two additional combined Earth orientation series: (1) COMB2005, consisting of values and uncertainties for Universal Time, polar motion, and their rates that span from January 20, 1962, to January 7, 2006, at daily intervals and which is also available in versions whose epochs are given at either midnight or noon; and (2) POLE2005, consisting of values and uncertainties for polar motion and its rate that span from January 20, 1900, to December 21, 2005, at 30.4375-day intervals.

laser ranging↗

Structural Control on Downdip Locking Extent of the Himalayan Megathrust

Here, geologic reconstructions of the Main Himalayan Thrust in Nepal show a laterally extensive midcrustal ramp, hypothesized to form the downdip boundary of interseismic locking. Using a recent compilation of interseismic GPS velocities and a simplified model of fault coupling, we estimate the width of coupling across Nepal using a series of two-dimensional transects. We find that the downdip width of fault coupling increases smoothly from 70 to 90 km in eastern Nepal to 100–110 km in central Nepal, then narrows again in western Nepal. The inferred coupling transition is closely aligned with geologic reconstructions of the base of the midcrustal ramp in central and eastern Nepal, but in western Nepal, the data suggest that the location is intermediate between two proposed ramp locations. The result for western Nepal implies either an anomalous coupling transition that occurs along a shallowly dipping portion of the fault or that both ramps may be partially coupled and that a proposed crustal-scale duplexing process may be active during the interseismic period. We also find that the models require a convergence rate of 15.5 ± 2 mm/year throughout Nepal, reducing the geodetic moment accumulation rate by up to 30% compared with earlier models, partially resolving an inferred discrepancy between geodetic and paleoseismic estimates of moment release across the Himalaya.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Cascadia Subduction Zone Fault Heterogeneities From Newly Detected Small Magnitude Earthquakes

The Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) is known to host M9 megathrust ruptures; however, no such event has occurred in historical observation. The distribution and characteristics of small- to moderate-sized earthquakes can be used to determine the behavior of the megathrust fault but are notably absent offshore the CSZ due to the distance from onshore seismometers. We use automated subspace detection coupled with an onshore-offshore seismic deployment to find small-magnitude earthquakes in the offshore seismogenic zone and analyze their locations in the context of interseismic locking and seismogenic zone extent. Here we detected and located 5,282 earthquakes, 4,096 of which had been previously undetected. We find that the downdip extent of the seismogenic zone as defined by interplate seismicity agrees with the 20% locking contour of the Schmalzle et al. (2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GC005172) geodetic model and extends deeper than predicted by previous thermal models. We cannot determine the updip extent of the seismogenic zone; this may be due to a lack of templates for detection in the updip source area, stress shadows updip of asperity loading, and/or strong locking to the trench. We present a map of possible asperities determined by the small earthquakes in this study. Our asperity locations and extents show some, but not complete, agreement with the asperities modeled from the 1700 M9 rupture and geodetic locking models, and good agreement with the paleo-rupture extents determined from offshore turbidites and forearc basin-based asperity estimates. This highlights the need of continued offshore observations over time, and to elucidate fine-scale variation in locking.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

An adjoint-based optimization method for jointly inverting heterogeneous material properties and fault slip from earthquake surface deformation data

SUMMARY Analysis of tectonic and earthquake-cycle associated deformation of the crust can provide valuable insights into the underlying deformation processes including fault slip. How those processes are expressed at the surface depends on the lateral and depth variations of rock properties. The effect of such variations is often tested by forward models based on a priori geological or geophysical information. Here, we first develop a novel technique based on an open-source finite-element computational framework to invert geodetic constraints directly for heterogeneous media properties. We focus on the elastic, coseismic problem and seek to constrain variations in shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio, proxies for the effects of lithology and/or temperature and porous flow, respectively. The corresponding nonlinear inversion is implemented using adjoint-based optimization that efficiently reduces the cost function that includes the misfit between the calculated and observed displacements and a penalty term. We then extend our theoretical and numerical framework to simultaneously infer both heterogeneous Earth’s structure and fault slip from surface deformation. Based on a range of 2-D synthetic cases, we find that both model parameters can be satisfactorily estimated for the megathrust setting-inspired test problems considered. Within limits, this is the case even in the presence of noise and if the fault geometry is not perfectly known. Our method lays the foundation for a future reassessment of the information contained in increasingly data-rich settings, for example, geodetic GNSS constraints for large earthquakes such as the 2011 Tohoku-oki M9 event, or distributed deformation along plate boundaries as constrained from InSAR.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

Gravity Probe Spin: Prospects for measuring general-relativistic precession of intrinsic spin using a ferromagnetic gyroscope

An experimental test at the intersection of quantum physics and general relativity is proposed: measurement of relativistic frame dragging and geodetic precession using intrinsic spin of electrons. Furthermore, the behavior of intrinsic spin in spacetime dragged and warped by a massive rotating body is an experimentally open question, hence the results of such a measurement could have important theoretical consequences. Such a measurement is possible by using mm-scale ferromagnetic gyroscopes in orbit around the Earth. Under conditions where the rotational angular momentum of a ferromagnet is sufficiently small, a ferromagnet’s angular momentum is dominated by atomic electron spins and is predicted to exhibit macroscopic gyroscopic behavior. If such a ferromagnetic gyroscope is sufficiently isolated from the environment, rapid averaging of quantum uncertainty via the spin-lattice interaction enables readout of the ferromagnetic gyroscope dynamics with sufficient sensitivity to measure both the Lense-Thirring (frame dragging) and de Sitter (geodetic precession) effects due to the Earth.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Surface and Subsurface Geodesy Combined with Active Borehole Experimentation for the Advanced Characterization of EGS Reservoirs

We explore the utility of combining active downhole experimentation with borehole and surface geodesy to determine both the characteristics and evolving state of EGS reservoirs during stimulation through production. The study is divided into two parts. We demonstrate the feasibility of determining in situ reservoir characteristics of reservoir size, strain and fracture permeability and their dependence on feedbacks of stress and temperature using surface and borehole geodetic measurements (Part I). We then define the opportunity to apply the unique hydraulic pulse protocol (HPP) borehole tool to evaluate reservoir state. This can be accomplished by monitoring and co-inverting measured reservoir characteristics (from the HPP tool) with surface geodetic measurements of deformation, tilt and strain with continuous measurements of borehole-wall strain (via optical fiber and fiber Bragg gratings) and measured flow rates (Part II).

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗