New Research on Gravity Field in Lithuanian Territory

Author(s):  
Petras Petroškevicius ◽  
Romuald Obuchovski ◽  
Rosita Birvydienė ◽  
Ricardas Kolosovskis ◽  
Raimundas Putrimas ◽  
...  

New research of Lithuanian territory gravity field was started in 2016 with aim to improve accuracy of quasigeoid as well as accuracy of normal heights determined by methods of satellite geodesy. Obtained data could be used in the research of geophysics, geodynamics as well as in performing the precise navigation. Quartz automatic gravimeters Scintrex CG-5 are planned to be used for the survey consisting of 30000 points. Method of gravity measurements was worked out. RMS error of gravity determined with this method does not exceed 60 @Gal. Coordinates and heights of measured points are determined with GNSS using LitPOS network and LIT15G quasigeoid model. RMS error of coordinate determination does not exceed 0,20 m, for normal heights – 0,15 m. Method of gravity anomalies determination and their accuracy estimation was prepared.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Sante Zampa ◽  
Emanuele Lodolo ◽  
Nicola Creati ◽  
Martina Busetti ◽  
Gianni Madrussani ◽  
...  

<p>In this study, we present a comparative analysis between two types of gravity data used in geophysical applications: satellite altimeter-derived gravity and sea-bottom gravity.</p><p>It is largely known that the marine gravity field derived from satellite altimetry in coastal areas is generally biased by signals back-scattered from the nearby land. As a result, the derived gravity anomalies are mostly unreliable for geophysical and geological interpretations of near-shore environments.</p><p>To quantify the errors generated by the land-reflected signals and to verify the goodness of the geologic models inferred from gravity, we compared two different altimetry models with sea-bottom gravity measurements acquired along the Italian coasts from the early 50s to the late 80s.</p><p>We focused on the Gulf of Manfredonia, located in the SE sector of the Adriatic Sea, where: (i) two different sea-bottom gravity surveys have been conducted over the years, (ii) the bathymetry is particularly flat, and (iii) seismic data revealed a prominent carbonate ridge covered by hundreds of meters of Oligocene-Quaternary sediments.</p><p>Gravity field derivatives have been used to enhance both: (i) deep geological contacts, and (ii) coastal noise. The analyses outlined a “ringing-noise effect” which causes the altimeter signal degradation up to 17 km from the coast.</p><p>Differences between the observed gravity and the gravity calculated from a geological model constrained by seismic, showed that all datasets register approximately the same patterns, associated with the Gondola Fault Zone, a major structural discontinuity traversing roughly E-W the investigated area.</p><p>This study highlights the importance of implementing gravity anomalies derived from satellite-altimetry with high-resolution near-shore data, such as the sea-bottom gravity measurements available around the Italian coasts. Such analysis may have significant applications in studying the link between onshore and offshore geological structures in transitional areas.</p>


Geophysics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 1486-1493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin E. Bell ◽  
Bernard J. Coakley ◽  
Robert W. Stemp

In January 1990, a test of the feasibility of airborne gravimetry from a small geophysical survey aircraft, a Cessna 404, was conducted over the Long Island Sound using a Bell Aerospace BGM-3 sea gravity meter. Gravity has been measured from large aircraft and specially modified de Havilland Twin Otters but never from small, standard survey aircraft. The gravity field of the Long Island Sound is dominated by an asymmetric positive 30 mGal anomaly which is well constrained by both marine and land gravity measurements. Using a Trimble 4000 GPS receiver to record the aircraft’s horizontal position and radar altimeter elevations to recover the vertical accelerations, gravity anomalies along a total of 65 km were successfully measured. The root mean square (rms) difference between the airborne results and marine measurements within 2 km of the flight path was 2.6 mGal for 15 measured values. The anomalies recovered from airborne gravimetry can also be compared with the gridded regional free air gravity field calculated using all available marine and land gravity measurements. The rms difference between 458 airborne gravity measurements and the regional gravity field is 2.7 mGal. This preliminary experiment demonstrates that gravity anomalies, with wavelengths as short as 5 km, can be measured from small aircraft with accuracies of 2.7 mGal or better. The gravity measurements could be improved by higher quality vertical and horizontal positioning and tuning the gravimeter’s stabilized platform for aircraft use.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Cambiotti ◽  
Karim Douch ◽  
Stefano Cesare ◽  
Alberto Anselmi ◽  
Nico Sneeuw ◽  
...  

<p>We perform Next Gerataion Gravity Mission (NGGM) simulations over a 12-year operational period by including in the background gravity field the time-dependent gravity anomalies caused by different earthquake scenarios and considering different sources of error on 28-day mean gravity field solutions: the instrumental errors of the interferometer and accelerometers, the time depenendent background model and the atmosphere-ocean dealiasing. In order to assess whether the observational errors mask or not the earthquake-induced gravity signals, we assume known the background gravity field and the spatial and temporal pattern of the earthquake-induced gravity anomalies. Then, for each earthquake, we estimate the amplitude of its gravity anomaly by inverting the NGGM synthetic data time series and we check its consistency with the expected amplitude, as well as with the null hypothesis. In order to investigate case studies representative of the main earthquake characteristics and their compliance with the NGGM specifications, we have considered normal, inverse and strike-slip focal mechanisms striking with different angles with respect to the polar orbit, reaching the Earth surface and in depth, occurring inland, off-shore and close to the coastlines and at the beginning (2-4 years), at the middle (5-7 years) and at the end (8-10 years) of the 12-year operational period. The fault dimensions and slip distribution vary with the seismic moment magnitude and are prescribed according to the circular fault model by Eshelby (1957). Furthermore, we also consider two different rheological stratifications with asthenospheric viscosity of 10¹⁸ and 10¹⁹ Pa s. In order to discuss whether the earthquake signal can be discriminated from other geophysical processes (like atmosphere, ocean, hydrology and glacial isostatic adjustment), we also perform the same inversion but, this time, its amplitude is estimated jointly with the time dependent background gravity field, which we simply model using static values, trends and periodical functions.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arcangela Bollino ◽  
Anna Maria Marotta ◽  
Federica Restelli ◽  
Alessandro Regorda ◽  
Roberto Sabadini

<p>Subduction is responsible for surface displacements and deep mass redistribution. This rearrangement generates density anomalies in a wide spectrum of wavelengths which, in turn, causes important anomalies in the Earth's gravity field that are visible as lineaments parallel to the arc-trench systems. In these areas, when the traditional analysis of the deformation and stress fields is combined with the analysis of the perturbation of the gravity field and its slow time variation, new information on the background environment controlling the tectonic loading phase can be disclosed.</p><p>Here we present the results of a comparative analysis between the geodetically retrieved gravitational anomalies, based on the EIGEN-6C4 model, and those predicted by a 2D thermo-chemical mechanical modeling of the Sumatra and Mariana complexes.</p><p>The 2D model accounts for a wide range of parameters, such as the convergence velocity, the shallow dip angle, the different degrees of coupling between the facing plates. The marker in cell technique is used to compositionally differentiate the system. Phase changes in the crust and in the mantle and mantle hydration are also allowed. To be compliant with the geodetic EIGEN-6C4 gravity data, we define a model normal Earth considering the vertical density distribution at the margins of the model domain, where the masses are not perturbed by the subduction process.</p><p>Model predictions are in good agreement with data, both in terms of wavelengths and magnitude of the gravity anomalies measured in the surroundings of the Sumatra and Marina subductions. Furthermore, our modeling supports that the differences in the style of the gravity anomaly observed in the two areas are attributable to the different environments – ocean-ocean or ocean-continental subduction – that drives a significantly different dynamic in the wedge area.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 100-117
Author(s):  
Viktor Szabó ◽  
Dorota Marjańska

AbstractGlobal satellite gravity measurements provide unique information regarding gravity field distribution and its variability on the Earth. The main cause of gravity changes is the mass transportation within the Earth, appearing as, e.g. dynamic fluctuations in hydrology, glaciology, oceanology, meteorology and the lithosphere. This phenomenon has become more comprehensible thanks to the dedicated gravimetric missions such as Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE). From among these missions, GRACE seems to be the most dominating source of gravity data, sharing a unique set of observations from over 15 years. The results of this experiment are often of interest to geodesists and geophysicists due to its high compatibility with the other methods of gravity measurements, especially absolute gravimetry. Direct validation of gravity field solutions is crucial as it can provide conclusions concerning forecasts of subsurface water changes. The aim of this work is to present the issue of selection of filtration parameters for monthly gravity field solutions in RL06 and RL05 releases and then to compare them to a time series of absolute gravimetric data conducted in quasi-monthly measurements in Astro-Geodetic Observatory in Józefosław (Poland). The other purpose of this study is to estimate the accuracy of GRACE temporal solutions in comparison with absolute terrestrial gravimetry data and making an attempt to indicate the significance of differences between solutions using various types of filtration (DDK, Gaussian) from selected research centres.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Fiifi Annan ◽  
Xiaoyun Wan

A regional gravity field product, comprising vertical deflections and gravity anomalies, of the Gulf of Guinea (15°W to 5°E, 4°S to 4°N) has been developed from sea surface heights (SSH) of five altimetry missions. Though the remove-restore technique was adopted, the deflections of the vertical were computed directly from the SSH without the influence of a global geopotential model. The north-component of vertical deflections was more accurate than the east-component by almost three times. Analysis of results showed each satellite can contribute almost equally in resolving the north-component. This is attributable to the nearly northern inclinations of the various satellites. However, Cryosat-2, Jason-1/GM, and SARAL/AltiKa contributed the most in resolving the east-component. We attribute this to the superior spatial resolution of Cryosat-2, the lower inclination of Jason-1/GM, and the high range accuracy of the Ka-band of SARAL/AltiKa. Weights of 0.687 and 0.313 were, respectively, assigned to the north and east components in order to minimize their non-uniform accuracy effect on the resultant gravity anomaly model. Histogram of computed gravity anomalies compared well with those from renowned models: DTU13, SIOv28, and EGM2008. It averagely deviates from the reference models by −0.33 mGal. Further assessment was done by comparing it with a quadratically adjusted shipborne free-air gravity anomalies. After some data cleaning, observations in shallow waters, as well as some ship tracks were still unreliable. By excluding the observations in shallow waters, the derived gravity field model compares well in ocean depths deeper than 2,000 m.


1999 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Telmat ◽  
Jean-Claude Mareschal ◽  
Clément Gariépy

Gravity data were obtained along two transects on the southern coast of Ungava Bay, which provide continuous gravity coverage between Leaf Bay and George River. The transects and the derived gravity profiles extend from the Superior craton to the Rae Province across the New Quebec Orogen (NQO). Interpretation of the transect along the southwestern coast of Ungava Bay suggests crustal thickening beneath the NQO and crustal thinning beneath the Kuujjuaq Terrane, east of the NQO. Two alternative interpretations are proposed for the transect along the southeastern coast of the bay. The first model shows crustal thickening beneath the George River Shear Zone (GRSZ) and two shallow bodies correlated with the northern extensions of the GRSZ and the De Pas batholith. The second model shows constant crustal thickness and bodies more deeply rooted than in the first model. The gravity models are consistent with the easterly dipping reflections imaged along a Lithoprobe seismic line crossing Ungava Bay and suggest westward thrusting of the Rae Province over the NQO. Because no gravity data have been collected in Ungava Bay, satellite altimetry data have been used as a means to fill the gap in data collected at sea. The satellite-derived gravity data and standard Bouguer gravity data were combined in a composite map for the Ungava Bay region. The new land-based gravity measurements were used to verify and calibrate the satellite data and to ensure that offshore gravity anomalies merge with those determined by the land surveys in a reasonable fashion. Three parallel east-west gravity profiles were extracted: across Ungava Bay (59.9°N), on the southern shore of the bay (58.5°N), and onshore ~200 km south of Ungava Bay (57.1°N). The gravity signature of some major structures, such as the GRSZ, can be identified on each profile.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Scheinert ◽  
Philipp Zingerle ◽  
Theresa Schaller ◽  
Roland Pail ◽  
Martin Willberg

<p>In the frame of the IAG Subcommission 2.4f “Gravity and Geoid in Antarctica” (AntGG) a first Antarctic-wide grid of ground-based gravity anomalies was released in 2016 (Scheinert et al. 2016). That data set was provided with a grid space of 10 km and covered about 73% of the Antarctic continent. Since then a considerably amount of new data has been made available, mainly collected by means of airborne gravimetry. Regions which were formerly void of any terrestrial gravity observations and have now been surveyed include especially the polar data gap originating from GOCE satellite gravimetry. Thus, it is timely to come up with an updated and enhanced regional gravity field solution for Antarctica. For this, we aim to improve further aspects in comparison to the AntGG 2016 solution: The grid spacing will be enhanced to 5 km. Instead of providing gravity anomalies only for parts of Antarctica, now the entire continent should be covered. In addition to the gravity anomaly also a regional geoid solution should be provided along with further desirable functionals (e.g. gravity anomaly vs. disturbance, different height levels).</p><p>We will discuss the expanded AntGG data base which now includes terrestrial gravity data from Antarctic surveys conducted over the past 40 years. The methodology applied in the analysis is based on the remove-compute-restore technique. Here we utilize the newly developed combined spherical-harmonic gravity field model SATOP1 (Zingerle et al. 2019) which is based on the global satellite-only model GOCO05s and the high-resolution topographic model EARTH2014. We will demonstrate the feasibility to adequately reduce the original gravity data and, thus, to also cross-validate and evaluate the accuracy of the data especially where different data set overlap. For the compute step the recently developed partition-enhanced least-squares collocation (PE-LSC) has been used (Zingerle et al. 2021, in review; cf. the contribution of Zingerle et al. in the same session). This method allows to treat all data available in Antarctica in one single computation step in an efficient and fast way. Thus, it becomes feasible to iterate the computations within short time once any input data or parameters are changed, and to easily predict the desirable functionals also in regions void of terrestrial measurements as well as at any height level (e.g. gravity anomalies at the surface or gravity disturbances at constant height).</p><p>We will discuss the results and give an outlook on the data products which shall be finally provided to present the new regional gravity field solution for Antarctica. Furthermore, implications for further applications will be discussed e.g. with respect to geophysical modelling of the Earth’s interior (cf. the contribution of Schaller et al. in session G4.3).</p>


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