Change monitoring of earth rotation parameter with Maglev gyroscope precessional torque
(Geological Engineering and Geomatics Institute, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China)
Abstract: Through analyzing the relationship between gyro dynamic torques produced by the changes of earth rotation parameters (ERP), a method of measuring the earth rotation parameters was proposed and explored by using gyroscope. The preliminary experiments were carried out using GAT Maglev Gyro Station (which is self-developed by China). Considering the measurement and expanding-application of the earth rotation parameters, some ideas and opinions about the structure design, measurement methods and data processing of gyro were proposed, and some outlook of the expanding-application of the gyroscope in geodetic and geophysical fields were done. The experimental results show that using the high-precision gyroscope to determine the changes of ERP is feasible, with the emergence of ultra-high precision gyro; it is possible for determining the earth rotation parameters by gyro in stead of by current complex space surveying technology.
Key words: Maglev gyroscope; earth rotation parameters (ERP); precessional torque; pole motion; length of day