A new test of Earth tide models in central Europe

New improved ocean tide models allow a corresponding improvement in ocean tide loading computations. During recent years various groups have made more accurate tidal gravity observations in central Europe, using gravimeters carefully calibrated on various calibration lines. This progress with tidal gravity measurements and ocean loading corrections now allows a more comprehensive test of body tide models than was possible previously. It is shown that the O1 and M2 gravimetric factors, corrected using the latest ocean tide models, are very consistent between the sites, despite the different instruments and gravity calibration lines that have been used. These observations allow constraints to be put on the anelasticity of the Earth at tidal frequencies. The corrected gravimetric factors are consistent with recent model results for both the elastic PREM model and with α ≤ 0.09 for an anelastic PREM model with the Q for dissipation in shear varying as frequency to the power α.