Amritsar, (Punjab), India: June 13, 2007 (Wednesday) – Sofia seeks for the comments of Dr. Raj Baldev, Cosmo Theorist from India, what he has to say about the new technique that enables NASA to take the precise measurement of the Earth and what are its advantages?
Dr. Raj Baldev, Cosmo Theorist, said, ” It is a great point of satisfaction that NASA has finally discovered a technique that shall finally enable them precisely to measure the position of the centre of the Earth with the best accuracy.
“It is, in fact, a novel technique to pinpoint more precisely the location of Earth’s center of mass and how it moves through space. The scientists have mastered the technique to such a great extent that they can go to the closest millimeter, even though the Earth’s centre doesn’t stay in one point.”
Dr. Raj Baldev: “Though it looks hard to believe, it is correct to my knowledge.”
Sofia: Dr. Raj Baldev, in your opinion, what could be its centre of mass range?
Dr. Raj Baldev: ” As the Earth rotates in space, its centre of mass varies over a distance of 2 to 5 millimeter (.08 to.20 inch) yearly, whereas formerly it was counted as 1.8 millimeter a year. Even a slight variation carries a significance importance on the subject of Earth’s rotation.”
Sofia: ” Dr. Raj Baldev, the variation looks to be very small, how do you justify that it matters a lot?”
Dr. Raj Baldev: “The example of global warming is very suitable to this variation. The scientists and astronomers can well realize and compare it properly and minutely that the rise in global sea level due to mounting temperatures is measured in just millimeters because even a slightest portion a millimeter can disturb the balance and change the situation.
“NASA has also observed that in other places, the Earth is rebounding after the weight of glaciers during the last ice age, 20,000 years ago which a common man can hardly follow what its import is?
“This information is vital to the study of global sea level change, earthquakes, volcanoes and Earth’s response to the retreat of ice sheets after the last ice age,” Dr. Raj Baldev said.
Sofia: “Dr. Raj Baldev, what is this technique and how the scientists manage to reach such an accurate stage?”
Dr. Raj Baldev: “The researchers have combined 4 different space-based techniques to get this accurate measurement. They are the global positioning system, laser stations that track orbiting satellites, radio telescopes which measure the position of the Earth against quasars, and a finally French network of tracking satellites called DORIS.
“In fact, these four techniques were developed and operated by NASA in partnership with other national and international agencies. Results of the new study may appear in the June issue of Geophysical Journal International.”
Sofia: Dr. Raj Baldev, “Why it is important to measure the location of the Earth’s centre?”
Dr. Raj Baldev: “Scientists now define the Earth’s center in two ways: as the mass center of solid Earth or as the mass center of Earth’s entire system, that combines solid Earth, ice sheets, oceans and atmosphere.”
Background story: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-064
