In the field of theoretical physics, a gravitational anomaly is an example of a gauge anomaly, one of the effects of quantum mechanics. This is the difference between the observed acceleration of gravity or gravity on the surface and the corresponding value of the predicted model of the planet's gravitational field. Typically, there are a number of simplifying assumptions, including self-gravity and rotational motions that cause the Earth to take on an ellipsoid shape.
Anomaly and gravity
The value of the anomaly, as a rule, is much less than the value of gravity itself, with which the concepts of the total mass of the planet, its rotation and flattening are associated. Thus, gravitational anomalies on Earth are just local variations of the gravitational field. Nevertheless, these phenomena are of genuine geophysical and geological interest and are among the typical problems of geophysics.
Reasons and peculiarities
Gravity anomaly can occur in different parts of the world, most often in the mountains. Lateral fluctuations of gravitational anomalies are associated with anomalous density distributions inside the Earth. Gravity measures help to understand the internal structure of the planet. Massive gravity field anomalies can be detected from space as a side effect of satellite gravity missions.
Gravity recovery and climate
It turns out that the processes subject only to nature itself can be influenced by the person himself, launching satellites that can detect gravitational changes throughout the Earth. In addition, these changes can be represented as gravitational anomalies of time variations. Gravity plays an important role, influencing, among other things, the self-regulation of the planet and its climatic processes.
Directions of the gravitational field
Earth's gravitational field is depicted in two main directions: the gravity anomalies of the map and the Earth's geoid map.
- The gravitational anomaly of the map shows how the actual gravitational field of the Earth itself differs from the gravitational field of its surface. It highlights the difference in gravity on the Earth's surface. Often this occurs in areas of unusual concentration of certain landscape forms, such as the presence of mountain ranges or ocean trenches.
- The geoid is the hypothetical surface of the Earth, which ismean sea level in the absence of winds, currents and most tides. The geoid is a useful surface reference. It defines the horizontals, and gravity acts perpendicular to them.
Obtaining an accurate geoid model proved to be quite a challenge. Data from several dozen satellites, along with surface measurements, had to be combined to create a model of the gravity field. Isolation of large-scale features fully justified itself, which cannot be said about the features of a local nature, where it is often necessary to accurately describe time-varying gravitational effects, such as those associated with the hydrological cycle.
Remote sensing and mapping
These methods provide critical input from many of the scientific models used in oceanography, hydrology, geology and related disciplines. Remote sensing and mapping are used for a variety of purposes and purposes, including:
- measuring changes in polar ice mass;
- measuring changes in water resources on land;
- determining shallow and deep ocean currents;
- determining changes in sea level as a result of temperature fluctuations;
- better understanding of such mass exchange as atmosphere-ocean;
- descriptions of the forces that generate the Earth's geomagnetic field;
- understanding the internal forces of the planet, the movement of tectonic plates as a result of earthquakes andvolcanic eruptions;
- improvements in forecasting natural hazards.
Anomalies attract tourists
We live in an age where almost everyone in the world has instant access to information. Despite the fact that everyone, if they wish, can find out whatever they want, there are oddities in the world, and there are many of them, that remain a mystery, one of which is the gravitational anomaly.
There are places on the planet that can surprise, where natural gravity does not work, where the sense of balance is lost, where the car can roll uphill and so on. Such phenomena are indeed viewed as wrong from the point of view of human thinking.
Such mysterious places can be found all over the world, although not all of them can be located in the whirlwinds of paranormal activity, but some can definitely be a good stopping place for road-weary tourists.
Interpretation of gravitational and magnetic anomalies
Magnetic anomalies are mainly generated by variations in the crystalline basement and igneous material. Most deposits can be considered magnetically transparent, meaning they have little susceptibility.
Thus, magnetic data interpretations can be a useful and productive way to explore the deepest and often most fundamental structures.
Gravity anomaly on lake or land could be due to contrastdensities of subsurface layers (deep penetrations, faults, river basin boundaries, etc.).
What does "GA" mean?
Gravity anomaly, "GA" for short, is a general term to describe instances of not-quite-normal gravitational field readings. This definition explains the points that arise in cases of contradiction between the generally accepted mathematical model of the gravitational theory and the other side, which does not fit into the general framework of the physical nature of the gravitational interaction.
Practical value
The study of the characteristics and properties of the Earth's gravitational field plays an important role and finds practical application in many sectors of the economy. There is a whole scientific direction - gravimetry, which is on a par with other Earth sciences (geology, geodesy, astronautics, oceanography, seismology, and others). The subject of her study is the gravitational anomaly as well.
Gravity anomalies
Changes in gravity, which are associated with such a property of the earth's surface as density inhomogeneity, do not have an obvious pattern and indicate a certain deviation from the generally accepted values, are called gravity anomalies. As a rule, the difference between normal and abnormal gravity is minimal. However, even minor deviations help to better study the properties of the earth's crust, as well as search for minerals.
A gravitational anomaly occurs both on the surface of the Earth and inher bowels. An important external factor in this case is the relief. As for the underground causes, they include the movements of the layers vertically and horizontally, as well as changes in the density composition of these layers. Such a phenomenon as a gravitational anomaly is of great importance in geology. Gravimetry methods are widely used during the search for iron ore, oil and gas deposits.
Miracles, and more
Every year there is more and more information about anomalous places on the planet. These are places where gravity somehow miraculously disappears, a ball or spilled water begins to rise up the slope, or other miracles occur that defy any logic.
The most famous are Beit Shemesh in Israel, the Devil's Gorge in Jordan, a pass in Ladhak (India), as well as gravity anomalies in Russia, near the village of Galashki in the Nevyansk region in the Middle Urals, where a stream with an unusual course was discovered.
What is really going on? Are all anomalous places like this? Many of them have something in common, namely:
- Most of these areas are located in mountainous areas.
- Most of it is in the subtropics.
- A characteristic feature is a relatively small size, if it is a road, then the length of the anomalous area does not exceed, as a rule, 600 m.
What is the focus?
Gravity anomalies in the Earth and Moon system are justified from a scientific point of view, theythe relationship can be observed, for example, with the help of tides.
And what about the many places where gravity doesn't work? Is everything that seems incomprehensible really abnormal? Let's take an example with a mountain road of one anomalous zone. Going up is easier than going down. So why is going down so hard? This is because the body is very difficult to deceive, unlike the eyes. It's hard to believe, but most of the mysterious natural phenomena are just optical illusions.
Gravity is one of the most important fundamental forces in the universe, and has puzzled scientists more than once since its discovery. The unique properties of gravity and relation to mass allows life to exist, rather than fly away into space. When an object moves higher, it gains gravitational potential energy, and the amount depends on the object's mass, height, and gravity. In nature, there are also phenomena of distortion of gravitational fields. Anomalies are a rather conditional concept that can denote many different phenomena. In fact, their manifestation is a physically justified quality of a substance or matter.
Gravity fields can have a significant impact, which can manifest itself in the functional failures of all kinds of equipment. For example, the hands on the clock suddenly stop or start moving in the opposite direction, phones are discharged, photographic equipment is turned off, and so on. All distortions of time and space need to be taken more broadly, and not justat the level of material manifestations of a reflex nature.
