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Gravimetry projects
  • Installation  of absolute gravimetric stations at the mountain Zugspitze, at the Wank and in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
  • Absolute  gravity measurements on the Faroes
  • Absolute  gravity determinations in Denmark
 For further information contact:
Dr.-Ing. Ludger Timmen
Dipl.-Ing. Olga Gitlein

Papers
 
Installation of absolute gravimetric stations at the mountain Zugspitze, at the Wank and in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

In the German Alps, four absolute gravity stations were established by IfE in 2004. The objectives were:
  • Installation of a relative gravimetry calibration line with large gravity differences and short transportation ways between the stations; thus a basis is created, in order to be able to use modern field gravimeters for most precise monitoring tasks in seismic and geodynamically active areas;
  • · Establishment of a long-term reference to monitor gravity changes due to melting of the alpine glaciers and due to geodynamic changes of the Alps.
The heights of the four absolute points were determined by using GPS in combination with geometrical and trigonometric levelling. The long GPS ties between the stations were measured over three days continuously. With the large number of gravity measurements at each station (2000 to 3000 free fall experiments along a laser beam in high vacuum) the obtained accuracy is ±10 to 40 nm/s² for the station results.
 download pdf-file (700 Kb)
 
Absolute gravity measurements on the Faroes

The Faeroe Islands are of volcanic origin and belong to the North Atlantic ridge system. They were originated during the tectonic process which separated Europe, North America and Greenland. The islands are about 60 million years old (three times as old as Iceland). Because this group of islands is of large geodynamic interest, an absolute gravity station was installed on the main island Streymoy in Kollafjordur within the building of the Institute of Agriculture.
 
Absolute gravity station at the Institut of Agriculture in Kollafjordur on the Faroes »

Already in 1987, IfE occupied the station with the absolute meter JILAG-3. In co-operation with KMS (Kort & Matrikelstyrelsen), the national surveying and cadastre authority in Denmark, the station was re-measured with FG5#220 in November 2004.

The comparison of the results from both epochs shows that the gravity results agree within 0.05 µm/s² (no significant gravity change over about 20 years).
Absolute gravity determinations in Denmark

In co-operation with the National Danish Space Centre(DNSC) and the Danish land surveying authority (KMS), a gravimetry campaign was performed in June 2005. The goals of these common measurement projects accomplished since 1986 are: 1. establishment and preservation of the national base net with absolute datum definition, 2. monitoring of the deformations of the earth's crust due to the postglacial land rise, 3. monitoring of the vertical stability of important tide gauges measuring sea level changes. The outdoor stations Smidstrup and Suldrup were installed and observed with the FG5-220 absolute gravity meter using a tent.

« Absolute gravity stations in Denmark
After 1986 (Jilag-3, IfE) and 2003 (FG5-220, IfE) the station Helsingør (56° land uplift line, east west profile) could be occupied again. A further new station was established at the University of Copenhagen. The planned stations Esbjerg and Hirtshals were explored. The GPS pillars (height over 4 m) with continuous GPS registrations were already available.

Absolute gravity station Smidstrup »

Papers, Poster and Oral presentations:
 
Oral Presentations 2003
  • Müller, J., L. Timmen, H. Denker, O. Gitlein: Absolute Gravimetry in the Fennoscandian Land Uplift Area: Monitoring of Temporal Gravity Changes for GRACE. Pres. Paper (J. Müller) XXIII General Assembly of the IUGG, June 30 - July 11, 2003, Sapporo, Japan
Meetings 2003
  • Gitlein, O.: 27th Meeting of the Working Group for Geodynamics within the Nordic Geodetic Commission, Kort og Matrikelstyrelsen (KMS), Copenhagen, April 29, 2003.
  • Gitlein, O.: 1st International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters in Walferdange, European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology (E.C.G.S.), Luxembourg, November 3-7, 2003.
Oral Presentations and Posters 2004
  • Bilker, M., Mäkinen, J., Virtanen, H., Klopping, F., Falk, R., Timmen, L., Gitlein, O.: Time series of gravity in Finland. Poster, IAG Internat. Symp. "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Porto, Aug. 30 - Sept. 4, 2004.
  • Francis, O., van Dam, T., Gitlein, O., Timmen, L., et al.: Results of the International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters in Walferdange (Luxembourg) of November 2003. Pres. paper (O. Francis), IAG Internat. Symp. "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Porto, Aug. 30 - Sept. 4, 2004.
  • Gitlein, O.: Observing the Fennoscandian Land Uplift Area by Absolute Gravimetry - Monitoring of Temporal Gravity Changes for GRACE. Presented at the Andøya ALOMAR Rocket Range, Andenes, Norway, June 25, 2004.
  • Gitlein, O., H. Denker, J. Müller: Local geoid determination by the spectral combination method. Pres. Paper (O. Gitlein), IAG Internat. Symp. "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Porto, Aug. 30 - Sept. 3, 2004.
  • Gitlein, O., L. Timmen: Campaigns 2003: measurements, results and experiences. Presented at the Meeting of the Working Group on Geodynamics, Nordic Geodetic Commission, Lantmäteriet, Gävle, Sweden, 15./16.04. 2004.
  • Müller, J., L. Timmen, H. Denker, O. Gitlein, J. Mäkinen, M. Bilker, H. Wilmes, R. Falk, A. Reinhold, W. Hoppe, B.R. Pettersen, O.C.D. Omang, J.G.G. Svendsen, O. Øvstedal, H.-G. Scherneck, B. Engen, A. Engfeldt, G. Strykowski: Observing Fennoscandian Geoid Change. Poster, EGU, 1st General Assembly, Nice, France, 25-30 April, 2004. Observing Fennoscandian Geoid Change. Poster, 2004 Joint Assembly of CGU, AGU, SEG and EEGS, Montreal, Canada, 17-21 May 2004.
  • Müller, J., L. Timmen, O. Gitlein, H. Denker: Gravity changes in the Fennoscandian land uplift area to be observed by GRACE and absolute gravimetry. Pres. Paper (J. Müller), IAG Internat. Symp. "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Porto, Aug. 30 - Sept. 3, 2004.
  • Pettersen, B.R., Omang, O.C.D., Svendsen, J.G.G., Müller, J., Timmen, L., Denker, H., Gitlein, O., Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Wilmes, H., Falk, R., Reinhold, A., Hoppe, W., Scherneck, H.-G., Engen, B., Engfeldt, A., Strykowski, G.: Observing temporal gravity change in Fennoscandia. Poster, IAG Internat. Symp. "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Porto, Aug. 30 - Sept. 3, 2004.
  • Timmen, L., O. Gitlein: Campaigns 2003: IfE absolute gravity plans for 2004. Presented at the Meeting of the Working Group on Geodynamics, Nordic Geodetic Commission, Lantmäteriet, Gävle, Sweden, 15./16.04.2004.
  • Timmen, L., O. Gitlein: Two years' experiences with the Scintrex Autograv CG-3M No. 4492 from measurements in the Hannover Calibration System and from field applications. Poster, IAG Internat. Symp. "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Porto, Aug. 30 - Sept. 4, 2004.
  • Timmen, L., O. Gitlein, J. Müller, H. Denker, J. Mäkinen, M. Bilker, H. Wilmes, R. Falk, A. Reinhold, W. Hoppe, B.R. Pettersen, O.C.D. Omang, J.G.G. Svendsen, O. Øvstedal, H.-G. Scherneck, B. Engen, A. Engfeldt, G. Strykowski, R. Forsberg: Observing Fennoscandian Geoid Change for GRACE Validation. Poster, Joint CHAMP/GRACE Science Meeting, GeoForschungsZentrum Potdsdam, July 6-8, 2004.
  • Timmen, L., Müller, J., Gitlein, O., Denker,H., Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Wilmes, H., Falk, R., Reinhold, A., Hoppe, W., Pettersen, B.R., Omang, O.C.D., Svendsen, J.G.G., Øvstedal, O., Scherneck, H.-G., Engen, B., Engfeldt, A., Strykowski, G., Forsberg, R.: Observing Fennoscandian geoid change for GRACE validation. Geodätische Woche 2004, Session 4, 13.-15. Oktober 2004.
Meetings 2004:
  • Gitlein, O.: 28th Meeting of the Working Group for Geodynamics within the Nordic Geodetic Commission, Lantmäteriet, Gävle, Sweden, April, 15th and 16th 2004. MIIGAiK, 225-jähriges Jubiläum, Moskau, 24.05.-26.05.2004.
  • Gitlein, O.: IAG Internat. Symp. "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Porto, Portugal, Aug. 30 - Sept. 4, 2004. 2005
Papers 205
  • Francis, O., van Dam, T., . . . , Gitlein, O., . . . , Timmen, L., . . . (insg. 29 Autoren): Results of the International Comparison of the Absolute Gravimeters in Walferdange (Luxembourg) of November 2003. In: C. Jekeli, L. Bastos, J. Fernandes (Eds.): Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions, GGSM 2004, IAG Symposium, Vol. 129, 272-275, Springer, 2005.
  • Gitlein, O., Denker, H., Müller, J.: Local Geoid Computation by the Spectral Combination Method. In: C. Jekeli, L. Bastos, J. Fernandes (Eds.): IAG International Symposium Volume 129, "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", 179-184, Springer, 2005.
  • Müller, J., L. Timmen, O. Gitlein, H. Denker: Gravity changes in the Fennoscandian land uplift area to be observed by GRACE and absolute gravimetry. In: Jekeli, Bastos, Fernandes (Eds.): IAG International Symposium Volume 129, "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", 304-309, Springer, 2005.
  • Timmen, L., O. Gitlein: The capacity of the Scintrex Autograv CG-3M no. 4492 gravimeter for "absolute-scale" surveys. In: P. M. L. de Menezes (Ed.): Revista Brasileira de Cartografia (Brazilian Journal of Cartography) No. 56/02, 89-95 (invited paper), 2004.
  • Müller, J., Nothnagel, A., Scheinert, M., Kusche, J., Krügel, M., Drewes, H., Kutterer, H., Schuh, H., Gitlein, O., Bosch, W., Dietrich, R.: Bericht zum Dynamic Planet 2005, Joint Assembly of IAG, IAPSO and IABO, Cairns, Australien, 22.-26. August 2005, zfv, Heft 6/2005, 130. Jahrgang, S. 393-401, 2005.
  • Müller, J., L. Timmen, O. Gitlein, J. Mäkinen, H. Wilmes, B.R. Pettersen, O.C. Omang, J.G.G. Svendsen, O. Øvstedal, H.-G. Scherneck: Observing Fennoscandian Geoid Change. Eos Trans. AGU, 85(17), Joint Assembly Suppl., Abstract G41B-01, 2004.
  • Pettersen, B.R., Omang, O.C.D., Svendsen, J.G.G., Müller, J., Denker, H., Gitlein, O., Timmen, L., Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Wilmes, H., Scherneck, H.-G.: Observing temporal gravity change in Fennoscandia. In: IAG International Symposium "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Univ. of Porto, CD-ROM, 2005.
  • Pettersen, B.R., L. Timmen, O. Gitlein, J. Müller, H. Denker, J. Mäkinen, M. Bilker, D.I. Lysaker, O.C. Omang, J.G. Svendsen, H. Wilmes, R. Falk, A. Reinhold, W. Hoppe, H.-G. Scherneck, M. Lidberg, B. Engen, O. Kristiansen, A. Engfeldt, G. Strykowski, R. Forsberg, F. Klopping, G. Sasagawa: Absolute gravimetry in Fennoscandia - A contribution to understanding postglacial uplift. Eos Trans. AGU, 86(52), Fall Meeting Suppl., Abstract G24A-05, 2005.
  • Timmen, L., O. Gitlein: Two Years' Experiences with the Scintrex Autograv CG-3M No. 4492 from Measurements in the Hannover Calibration System and from Field Applications. In: IAG International Symposium "Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions - GGSM2004", Univ. of Porto, CD-publication, 2005.
  • Timmen, L., J. Müller, O. Gitlein, H. Denker: Die Erde hebt sich - Die fennoskandische Landhebung: Ein Test- und Anwendungsgebiet für die Satellitenmission GRACE. Unimagazin Hannover, Forschungsmagazin d. Univ. Hannover, Mitt. Freundeskreis d. Univ. Hannover e.V., Heft 3/4, 32-35, Hannover, 2005.
Oral Presentations and Posters 2005
  • Bilker, M., Mäkinen, J., Virtanen, H., Klopping, F., Falk, R., Timmen, L., Gitlein, O.: Time series of gravity in Finland. Poster, 29th Meeting of the Working Group for Geodynamics, Nordic Geodetic Commission, Finnish Geodetic Institute, Masala, Finland, 03-04 Mai 2005.
  • Gitlein, O.: Atmosphärische Massenreduktionen der Absolutschweremessungen im Fennoskandischen Landhebungsgebiet. Vortrag, 38. Herbsttagung des Arbeitskreises Geodäsie/Geophysik, 26-29 Oktober 2005.
  • Gitlein, O., Timmen, L.: Atmospheric Mass Flow Reduction for Terrestrial Absolute Gravimetry in the Fennoscandian Land Uplift Network. Poster, Dynamic Planet 2005, IAG, Cairns, Australia, 22-26 August 2005.
  • Gitlein, O., Timmen, L.: Comparisons of absolute gravimetry measurements in 2003 and 2004. Presentation, 29th Meeting of the Working Group for Geodynamics, Nordic Geodetic Commission, Finnish Geodetic Institute, Masala, Finland, 03-04 Mai 2005.
  • Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Routsalainen, H., Kaftan, V., Gusev, N., Korolev, N., Yushkin, V., Falk, R., Hoppe, W., Gitlein, O., Witte, P.: Comparison of absolute gravimeters in Metsähovi in 2004. Vortrag, ICAG-2005 Workshop, Paris, Frankreich, 19. September 2005.
  • Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Timmen, L., Gitlein, O., Müller, J., Denker, H., Wilmes, H., Falk, R., Reinhold, A., Hoppe, W., Pettersen, B.R., Omang, O.C.D., Svendsen, J.G.G., Klopping, F., Scherneck, H.-G., Engen, B., Harsson, B.G., Engfeldt, A., Lilje, M., Strykowski, G., Forsberg, R.: Observing Fennoscandian Gravity and Geoid Change with Absolute Gravimetry and GRACE. Presentation (Mäkinen), Dynamic Planet 2005, IAG, Cairns, Australia, 22-26 August 2005.
  • Müller, J., Neumann-Redlin, M., Denker, H., Jarecki, F., Gitlein, O.: Gravity anomaly changes in northern Europe as observed by GRACE. Poster 2005: Dynamic Planet 2005, IAG, Cairns, Australia, 22-26 August 2005.
  • Müller, J., Neumann-Redlin, M., Jarecki, F., Denker, H., Gitlein, O.: Gravity Changes in the Fennoscandian Land Uplift Area as Observed by GRACE. Poster, European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2005, Wien, Österreich, 24-29 April 2005.
  • Pettersen, B.R., Timmen, L., Gitlein, O., Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Falk, R., Reinhold, A., Wilmes, H., Omang, O.C.D., Svendsen, J.G.G.: Accuracy Assessment of Absolute Gravity Control in Fennoscandia. Poster, 29th Meeting of the Working Group for Geodynamics, Nordic Geodetic Commission, Finnish Geodetic Institute, Masala, Finland, 03-04 Mai 2005.
  • Pettersen, B.R., Timmen, L., Gitlein, O., Müller, J., Denker, H., Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Lysaker, D.I., Omang, O.C.D., Svendsen, J.G.G., Wilmes, H., Falk, R., Reinhold, A., Hoppe, W., Scherneck, H.-G., Lidberg, M., Engen, B., Kristiansen, O., Engfeldt, A., Strykowski, G., Forsberg, R., Klopping, F., Sasagawa, G.: Absolute Gravimetry in Fennoscandia - A Contribution to Understanding Postglacial Uplift. Presentation (Pettersen), American Geophysical Union (AGU) Meeting, San Francisco, USA, 05-09 Dezember 2005.
  • Timmen, L., Gitlein, O.: Results and epilogue of the IfE absolute gravimetry campaigns in 2004. Presentation, 29th Meeting of the Working Group for Geodynamics, Nordic Geodetic Commission, Finnish Geodetic Institute, Masala, Finland, 03-04 Mai 2005.
  • Timmen, L., O. Gitlein: The capacity of the Scintrex Autograv CG-3M no. 4492 gravimeter for "absolute-scale" surveys. Presentation, Geodätische Woche 2005, Session 4, 04-06 October 2005.
  • Timmen, L., Gitlein, O.: Der Einsatz des Scintrex Autograv CG-3M Nr. 4492 für die "absolute-scale" Vermessungen. Vortrag, 38. Herbsttagung des Arbeitskreises Geodäsie und Geophysik, 26-29 Oktober 2005.
  • Timmen, L., Gitlein, O., Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Falk, R., Reinhold, A., Wilmes, H., Pettersen, B.R., Omang, O.C.D., Svendsen, J.G.G.: Accuracy of absolute gravity control in Fennoscandia - groundtruth for GRACE. Poster, European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2005, Wien, Österreich, 24-29 April 2005.
  • Timmen, L., Gitlein, O., Müller, J., Denker, H., Mäkinen, J., Bilker, M., Pettersen, B.R.; Lysaker, D.I., Omang, O.C.D; Svendsen, J.G.G., Wilmes, H, Falk, R., Reinhold, A., Hoppe, W., Scherneck, H.-G., Engen, B., Harsson, B.G., Engfeldt, A., Lilje, M., Strykowski, G., Forsberg, R.: Observing Fennoscandian Gravity Change by Absolute Gravimetry. Presentation (Timmen), "International Symp. on Geodetic Deformation Monitoring", Univ. of Jaen, Spain, March 2005
Meetings 2005
  • Gitlein, O.: 29th Meeting of the Working Group for Geodynamics, Nordic Geodetic Commission, Finnish Geodetic Institute, Masala, Finnland, 03-04 Mai 2005.
  • Gitlein, O.: Dynamic Planet 2005, Joint Meeting of the IAG, IAPSO and IABO, Cairns, Australia, 22-26 August 2005. 38. Herbsttagung des Arbeitskreises Geodäsie und Geophysik, Oppurg, 26-29 Oktober 2005.

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