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Reconstruction of the Instantaneous Earth Rotation Vector with Sub-Arcsecond Resolution Using a Large Scale Ring
André Gebauer1,2, Monika Tercjak3, Karl Ulrich Schreiber2,4,5
1Ludwig Maximilians University, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Theresienstrasse 41, 80333 Munich, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|August 4, 2020
Summary
This study presents a large-scale tetrahedral laser gyroscope array for precise Earth rotation sensing. The system successfully reconstructed the Earth
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Optical physics
- Instrumentation
Background:
- Accurate measurement of Earth's rotation vector is crucial for various scientific disciplines.
- Existing methods for sensing absolute rotation rates face limitations in sensitivity and completeness of the rotation vector.
- Large-scale sensor arrays are needed to achieve the required sensitivity for full vector reconstruction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the feasibility of a large-scale laser gyroscope array for absolute rotation rate sensing.
- To reconstruct the complete Earth rotation vector with high resolution.
- To validate the performance of a tetrahedral laser gyroscope array.
Main Methods:
- Construction and operation of a four-component, tetrahedral laser gyroscope array.
- The array is as large as a five-story building.
- The experiment is conducted in a near-surface, underground laboratory to minimize environmental noise.
Main Results:
- Successful reconstruction of the full Earth rotation vector.
- Achieved sub-arcsecond resolution in the reconstructed vector.
- Sustained performance over a period of more than six weeks.
Conclusions:
- A large-scale tetrahedral laser gyroscope array can achieve extreme sensitivity for absolute rotation rate sensing.
- The system enables the reconstruction of the full Earth rotation vector with high precision.
- This technology offers a promising advancement for geophysical and astronomical measurements.
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