How does the Earth rotate? TUM ring laser provides data
Determining the position of the Earth in space more precisely - and making climate models more reliable: This is what researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) hope to achieve with the data from a revised ring laser at the Wettzell Geodetic Observatory (district of Cham). The quality of the data is unique in the world, TUM announced on Wednesday.
Almost 20 years of research work went into the development of the measuring system. The ring laser has been improved in such a way that it provides daily updated data on the Earth's rotation. This was previously not possible in comparable quality.
"Rotational fluctuations are not only important for astronomy, we also urgently need them to create climate models or to better understand weather phenomena such as El Niño - the more precise the data, the better the predictions," says project manager Ulrich Schreiber.
The background to the measurement: the Earth does not rotate evenly around its own axis. In addition, the axis of rotation tilts slightly, as the planet consists of different components. The mass shifts accelerate or slow down the rotation. These differences could be determined using measuring systems such as the TUM's ring laser, it was said.
Now that the work on the laser has been completed, current data can be retrieved every three hours. "Such a high temporal resolution is a first for an independent ring laser in the geosciences," explained TUM scientist Urs Hugentobler.
The ring laser in the basement of the observatory in Wettzell is four meters long on each side. The construction is based on solid rock from the earth's crust at a depth of six meters. According to TUM, this ensures that only the Earth's rotation affects the laser beams and that other environmental influences play no role. The construction is protected by a pressurized cabin that automatically compensates for changes in air pressure and the standard temperature of twelve degrees.
The improved ring laser at TUM provides essential data for determining the Earth's rotation, which is crucial for creating more accurate climate models and understanding weather phenomena like El Niño. Scientifically, these precise rotational fluctuations are vital for astronomy and climate studies.
Source: www.dpa.com
