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Article
Estimating Geocenter Variations from a Combination of GRACE and Ocean Model Output
Journal of Geophysical Research
  • Sean Swenson, National Center for Atmospheric Research
  • D. Chambers, University of Texas
  • John Wahr, University of Colorado
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-19-2008
Keywords
  • GRACE,
  • geocenter,
  • gravity
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JB005338
Disciplines
Abstract

In this study, we estimate a time series of geocenter anomalies from a combination of data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission and the output from ocean models. A matrix equation is derived relating total geocenter variations to the GRACE coefficients of degrees two and higher and to the oceanic component of the degree one coefficients. We estimate the oceanic component from t wo state-of-the-art ocean models. Results are compared to independent estimates of geocenter derived from other satellite data, such as satellite laser ranging and GPS. Finally, we compute degree one coefficients that are consistent with the processing applied to the GRACE Level-2 gravity field coefficients. The estimated degree one coefficients can be used to improve estimates of mass variability from GRACE, which alone cannot provide them directly.

Rights Information
Default Rights Statement
Citation / Publisher Attribution

Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 113, issue B8, art. B08410

Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union

Citation Information
Sean Swenson, D. Chambers and John Wahr. "Estimating Geocenter Variations from a Combination of GRACE and Ocean Model Output" Journal of Geophysical Research Vol. 113 Iss. B8 (2008)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/don_chambers/21/