Results from parallel observations of superconducting and absolute gravimeters and GPS at the Hsinchu station of Global Geodynamics Project, Taiwan

Abstract

The Hsinchu (HS) superconducting gravimeter (SG, serial T48) station is a newly established site in the Global Geodynamics Project (GGP). Simultaneous observations of T48, three FG5 absolute gravimeters, and GPS at four stations are studied. GPS shows few mm a−1 of horizontal and vertical motions around HS. The calibration factor and drifting rate of T48 are −75.96 ± 0.07 μGal V−1 and 0.2 ± 0.7 μGal a−1 (1 μGal = 10−8 m s−2). Both the SG and absolute gravity records contain trends of about 2–3 μGal a−1. The ocean tide gravity effects (OTGEs) were estimated from NAO.99b, FES2004, and CSR4.0, and their amplitudes agree with the SG observations at the submicroGal level, but their phases differ from the observations up to 10°. The Newtonian effect of ocean tide contributes 20% to the total OTGE at HS, and it is larger at islands in the Taiwan Strait. The inelastic body tide model of Dehant et al. (1999) is more consistent with the SG observations than the elastic model. Modeled gravity‐atmosphere admittances based on an exponential distribution of air mass explain well the observed admittances. The average gravity‐atmosphere admittance during typhoons is 30% larger than that in a nontyphoon time. A list of coseismic gravity changes from T48 caused by earthquakes over 2006–2007 is given for potential studies of fault parameters. The modeled effects of atmospheric pressure, groundwater, soil moisture, and polar motion explain the FG5 observed gravity trend to 1.1 μGal a−1. Seasonally, the groundwater‐induced gravity change contributes the most to the SG residual gravity, but its phase leads the latter by 63 days.