Abstract
Today Earth Rotation Parameters are derived from space techniques such as VLBI, SLR, GPS and DORIS. The potential of gyroscopes for the absolute determination of the rotation vector independent of a reference system has been proposed for many years. The realisation of such a local rotation sensor, which is sensitive enough and capable to even measure variations of Earth rotation is extremely difficult and required the development of very large ring lasers. On behalf of the Research Group Satellite Geodesy (FGS) the Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG) and the Forschungseinrichtung Satellitengeodäsie (FESG) of the Technical University Munich in close cooperation with the University of Canterbury, Christchurch (New Zealand), developed such a ring laser dubbed G, which is the first rotation sensor for monitoring Earth rotation, in particular the variations on a subdaily time scale. G has a size of 4 m × 4 m and operates in an underground installation at the Fundamentalstation Wettzell under controlled environmental conditions in order to minimize local disturbances. This paper describes the technical layout of G and its underground laboratory and presents data from the ring loser operation.
| Translated title of the contribution | Large ring laser and its continuous observation of the Earth's rotation |
|---|---|
| Original language | German |
| Pages (from-to) | 99-108 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | ZFV - Zeitschrift fur Geodasie, Geoinformation und Landmanagement |
| Volume | 130 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 2005 |