Physically consistent system model for the study of the Earth's rotation, surface deformation and gravity field parameters: Scientific results of the DFG project

摘要

The project performs considerable progress in connecting integral parameters of the Earth as vector of rotation, surface shape or gravity field and their temporal variability with small-scale processes within the Earth system proper. A kind of analogy is given by the Gaussian theorem which relates fluxes at the surface A of a body to changes in its Volume V:rn∫∫v·dA =∫∫∫▽·v dV rnwhere v is the velocity vector. Terrestrial and satellite observations provide the first mentioned planetary quantities, geological data from the atmosphere, ocean and solid Earth the variable state of the globe. It was and is the general objective of the research programme to understand and quantify this fundamental interconnection by means of model conceptions learning thereby from the total system about its components and vice versa (cf. Fig. 3.2.1). To remain with the analogy of the Gaussian theorem, we calculate separately both sides of the above equation and we are satisfied if they are equal for any data set. From the view point of physics, we consider fluxes of momentum and energy between the Earth and extraterrestrial bodies as well as between the geophysical system parts of the Earth itself (for the latter ones also mass fluxes exist). This exchange happens on different time scales ranging from geological periods (eons) down to tidal and weather dynamics (hours). The above formulated balance must be always fulfilled.