Low-Frequency Variations, Chandler and Annual Wobbles of Polar Motion as Observed Over One Century

Polar motion data are available from the mid-19th century to the present. Basedon time series with a variety of sampling intervals (monthly, 0.05-year, 5-day anddaily), we have separated the low-frequency terms by low-pass filtering and theChandler and annual terms by recursive band-pass filtering of the pole coordinates.Using a simple unweighted least-squares fit to the filtered low-frequency terms, thelinear trends of the rotation pole were estimated. Assessing the estimates based onintercomparisons, the most reliable trend estimate was found. Using a Fast FourierTransform, we have computed the prograde, retrograde and total amplitude spectraof the low-frequency part of polar motion in order to reveal the long-periodic signals.The characteristics and time evolution of the Chandler and annual wobbles aredescribed by changes in their parameters (radii, directions and period lengths) overone century.