Showing papers by "Mathias Fritsche published in 2005"

Impact of higher‐order ionospheric terms on GPS estimates

Abstract: [1] Dual frequency GPS observables only allow the elimination of the 1st–order ionospheric term. Although higher–order ionospheric terms may cause a range bias of several centimeters, accounting for such effects is not yet a common strategy for GPS data analysis. In comparison to previous investigations a rigorous application of 2nd and 3rd–order ionospheric corrections is examined for the estimation not only of receiver positions but of all included parameters. The results reveal a linear dependence of the frame's origin on the integrated electron density. Furthermore, satellite positions are affected at the centimeter level when applying the above–mentioned corrections. Since the ionospheric correction terms show a significant impact on various GPS estimates, their consideration becomes necessary for scientific applications. Hence, the modeling of 2nd and 3rd–order ionospheric correction terms is part of the optimized strategy in an ongoing reprocessing project dealing with a global GPS network and spanning the time period from 1994 up to present time.

The response of the subglacial Lake Vostok, Antarctica, to tidal and atmospheric pressure forcing

Abstract: SUMMARY Lake Vostok is the largest subglacial lake in Antarctica. We show that as a result of its size tidal and atmospheric pressure forcings are large enough to induce vertical displacements of the ice surface above the lake. These effects have been modelled assuming equilibrium tides and an inverse barometer response based on mass conservation. Differences in the tidal potential on the area of the lake result in height changes with amplitudes of a few millimetres for the largest diurnal and semidiurnal tides with maximum values at the southern end of the lake. Air pressure differences above the lake cause a differential inverse barometer effect (IBE) with resulting height changes of up to 40 mm on timescales from days to weeks. Both effects could be verified by differential Global Positioning System (GPS) observations in the southern part of the lake during the 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 summer seasons. The measured amplitudes and phases of the main constituents correspond to the respective values of the differential equilibrium tides. ERS-1& 2 tandem interferograms of 1996 were used to analyse the spatial pattern of the surface displacement. For the southern part of the lake, these measurements reveal a bulge with a wide flexure zone of varying amplitude but a similar geometry. A quasi-simultaneous pair of interferograms from the northern and the southern part of the lake respectively, demonstrates surface height changes of opposite sign in both areas. Therefore, it can be concluded that the associated water redistribution as a result of tides and changing atmospheric pressure forms an additional component of the overall water circulation in the lake.