Pole coordinates from the analysis of LLR data

Abstract

The observations from Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) are analysed and various parameters of the Earth-Moon system are determined by least-squares adjustment (e.g., station and reflector coordinates, lunar orbit and rotation). It is also possible to investigate EOPs like xP, yP and UT0-UTC from LLR data. In our previous study, the EOPs were determined in a post processing step after the global least-squares adjustment. However, in this way the correlation between EOPs and other parameters of the Earth-Moon system could not be investigated. In our recent analysis, values for xP, yP and UT0-UTC are determined directly in the global adjustment. Correlations with other parameters of the Earth-Moon system are automatically obtained. The LLR results for the EOPs are also compared to results determined from VLBI and GPS.