Hydrological signals in tilt and gravity residuals at Conrad Observatory (Austria)

Abstract

The superconducting gravimeter (SG) GWR C025 has monitored the time variation in gravity at the Conrad Observatory (Austria) since autumn 2007. Two tiltmeters have operated continuously since spring 2016, namely a 5.5 m long interferometric water level tiltmeter and a Lippmann-type 2D pendulum tilt sensor. The co-located and co-oriented set up enables a wide range of investigations because the tilts are sensitive to both geometrical solid Earth deformations and to gravity potential changes. The tide-free residuals of the SG and both tiltmeters clearly reflect the gravity and/or deformation effects associated with short- and long-term environmental processes and reveal a complex water transport process at the observatory site. Water accumulation on the terrain surface causes short-term (a few hours) effects which are clearly imaged by the SG gravity and N–S tilt residuals. Long-term (> a few days/weeks) tilt and gravity variations occur frequently after long-lasting rain, heavy rain or rapid snowmelt. Gravity and tilt residuals are associated with the same hydrological process but have different physical causes. SG gravity residuals reveal the gravitational effect of water mass transport, while modelling results exclude a purely gravitational source of the observed tilts. Tilt residuals show the response on surface loading instead. Tilts can be strongly affected by strain–tilt coupling (cavity effect). N–S tilt signals are much stronger than those of the E–W component, which is most probably due to the cavity effect of the 144 m long tunnel being oriented in an E–W direction.