Superconducting gravimeter and seismometer shedding light on FG5’s offsets, trends and noise: what observations at Onsala Space Observatory can tell us

Ten-year worth of absolute gravity (AG) campaigns at Onsala Space Observatory (OSO), Sweden, are simultaneously reducedusing synchronous data from a superconducting gravimeter (SG). In this multi-campaign adjustment, the a priori modelscommonly applied for each setup in AG-alone experiments are sidestepped in favour of SG records and a model to estimateits drift. We obtain a residual (hourly samples) at the 5 nm/s2 RMS level, reducing the SG data with a range of ancillary datafor the site’s exposure to ocean and atmospheric loading, and hydrology effects. The target quantity in AG projects in theBaltic Shield area is the secular change of gravity dominated by glacial isostatic adjustment with land uplift as its major part.Investigating into the details of the associated processes using AG requires a long-term stable reference, which is the aim ofinternational comparison campaigns of FG5 instruments. Two of these have been campaigning at OSO since 2009 when theSG had been installed. In the simultaneous inversion of all sixteen campaigns, we identify weaknesses of AG observations,like varying systematic offsets over time, excess microseismic sensitivity, trends in the AG data and side effects on the SG’sscale factor when campaigns are evaluated one by one. The simultaneous adjustment afforded us an SG scale factor verynear the result from a campaign with a prototype quantum gravimeter.Whence, we propose that single-campaign results maybe biased and conjectures into their variation, let alone its causes misleading. The OSO site appears to present manageableproblems as far as environmental influences are concerned. Our findings advocate the use of AG instruments and proceduresthat are more long-term stable (reference realization), more short-term stable too (setup drifts), less service craving and moreresilient to microseismic noise

First step to eradication of Poa annua L. from Point Thomas Oasis (King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica)

Poa annua, an alien species reported from the Antarctic continent and many Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands, was accidentally introduced in the vicinity of the Polish Antarctic Station H. Arctowski. Recently the species has been found entering native plant communities. In almost 30 years it dispersed over 250 m from the site it was first observed and can therefore be considered invasive. We report the first steps to eradicate the species following the initial research to quantify the biology, ecology and genetics of the species. After detailed mapping of all 1439 tussocks located in the Arctowski Station area we removed 314 tussocks closest to a moss carpet formation (native plant community of high conservation value). All of the 49 tussocks growing in the Ecology Glacier forefield were removed. It is the biggest alien plant eradication act conducted so far in Antarctica. We plan to continue the eradication process and monitor the eradicated sites. This will provide valuable information on impacts and issuesrelated to removal of alien species in the maritime Antarctic and will help in informing future decisions on management of other plant invasions in the region. Given the increasing human traffic to the Antarctic and the associated risks of invasion our results will be important not only for Arctowski but also for the whole Antarctic region

Detection of ice mass variation using GNSS measurements at Svalbard

We compare observed uplift rates of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) with geophysical predictions at sites located on Spitsbergen. We show here that using modern postglacial rebound models, realistic mass balance for Present Day Ice Melting (PDIM) and taking the deglaciation of the Little Ice Age (LIA) into account, we can close the overall uplift budget at a level of a few millimetres per year. For this study we used GNSS data from well-established geodetic sites in Ny-\uc5lesund and the new data from Hornsund. The significant increase of uplift rates since the beginning of 2011 was observed at both gnss sites. These height changes are attributed to recent increased ice mass loss of 6.0 Gt yr−1 for Svalbard. The total mass loss is estimated at 14.7 Gt yr−1. Ice unloading caused also a noticeable increase of distance between Ny-\uc5lesund and Hornsund. We show that the specific location of the two sites facilitates inference of differential mass loss within the Svalbard Archipelago

Analysis of seasonal position variation for selected GNSS sites in Poland using loading modelling and GRACE data

In this study we compared weekly GNSS position time series with modelled values of crustal deformations on the basis of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data. The Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) time series were taken from homogeneously reprocessed global network solutions within the International GNSS Service (IGS) Reprocessing 1 project and from regional solutions performed by Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) European Permanent Network (EPN) Local Analysis Center (LAC) within the EPN reprocessing project. Eight GNSS sites from the territory of Poland with observation timespans between 2.5 and 13 years were selected for this study. The Total Water Equivalent (TWE) estimation from GRACE data was used to compute deformations using the Green's function formalism. High frequency components were removed from GRACE data to avoid aliasing problems. Since GRACE observes mainly the mass transport in continental storage of water, we also compared GRACE deformations and the GNSS position time series, with the deformations computed on the basis of a hydrosphere model. We used the output of Water GAP Hydrology Model (WGHM) to compute deformations in the same manner as for the GRACE data. The WGHM gave slightly larger amplitudes than GNSS and GRACE. The atmospheric non-tidal loading effect was removed from GNSS position time series before comparing them with modelled deformations. The results confirmed that the major part of observed seasonal variations for GNSS vertical components can be attributed to the hydrosphere loading. The results for these components agree very well both in the amplitude and phase. The decrease in standard deviation of the residual GNSS position time series for vertical components corrected for the hydrosphere loading reached maximally 36% and occurred for all but one stations for both global and regional solutions. For horizontal components the amplitudes are about three times smaller than for vertical components therefore the comparison is much more complicated and the conclusions are ambiguous

Assessment of continental hydrosphere loading using GNSS measurements

Presented paper is dedicated to problems of deformation of the Earth's crust as a response to the surface loading caused by continental waters. The aim of this study was to specify areas particularly vulnerable to studied deformation and to compare calculated and observed displacements. Information of the continental water volume was taken from the WaterGAP Global Hydrological Model. Calculated values of the deformations were verified with the results obtained with programs SPOTL and grat. Vertical deformations were almost 10 times higher than the deformation in the horizontal plane, for which reason later part of the paper focuses on the former. In order to check agreement of the calculated and observed deformation 23 stations of International GNSS Service (IGS) were selected and divided into three groups (inland, near the shoreline and islands). Before comparison outliers and discontinuities were removed from GNSS observations. Modelled and observed signals were centred. The analysed time series of the vertical displacements showed that only for the inland stations it is possible to effectively remove displacements caused by mass transfer in the hydrosphere. For stations located in the coastal regions or islands, it is necessary to consider additional movement effects resulting from indirect ocean tidal loading or atmosphere loading

Participation of Employees and Students of the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography in Polar Research

This year the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography, Warsaw University of Technology celebrates its 95th jubilee, which provides an opportunity to present the Faculty’s rich traditions in polar research. Employees and students of the faculty for almost 60 years have taken part in research expeditions to the polar circle. The article presents various studies typical of geodesy and cartography, as well as miscellany of possible measurement applications and geodetic techniques used to support interdisciplinary research. Wide range of geodetic techniques used in polar studies includes classic angular and linear surveys, photogrammetric techniques, gravimetric measurements, GNSS satellite techniques and satellite imaging. Those measurements were applied in glaciological, geological, geodynamic, botanical researches as well as in cartographic studies. Often they were used in activities aiming to ensure continuous functioning of Polish research stations on both hemispheres. This study is a short overview of thematic scope and selected research results conducted by our employees and students

Geodetic and Geodynamic Studies at Department of Geodesy and Geodetic Astronomy Wut

The article presents current issues and research work conducted in the Department of Geodesy and Geodetic Astronomy at the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography at Warsaw University of Technology. It contains the most important directions of research in the fields of physical geodesy, satellite measurement techniques, GNSS meteorology, geodynamic studies, electronic measurement techniques and terrain information systems