IAG Commission 3: Earth Rotation and Geodynamics

Sub-Commission 3.3: Geophysical Fluids.
Chair: Richard Gross 

Terms of Reference 

Mass transports in the atmosphere-hydrosphere-solid Earth-core system, or the “global geophysical fluids”, will cause observable geodynamic effects on a broad time scale. Although relatively small, these global geodynamic effects have been measured by space geodetic techniques to increasing, unprecedented accuracy, opening up important new avenues of research that will lead to a better understanding of global mass transport processes and the Earth’s dynamic responses. Angular momentums and the related torques, gravitational coefficients, and geocenter shift for all geophysical fluids are the relevant quantities. They are studied theoretically and observed based on global observational data, and/or products from state-of-the-art models some of which assimilate such data. 
The objective of the Sub-Commission is to serve the scientific community in providing research and data analysis associated with the geophysical fluids, in areas related to the variations in Earth rotation, gravitational field and geocenter that are caused by mass transport in the geophysical fluids. The geophysical fluids of the Earth system include the atmosphere, ocean, solid Earth, and core, and geophysical processes associated with ocean tides and hydrological cycles.


Directing Board
R. Gross (President), A. Brzezinski (Vice-President), Ben Chao.