Impact of GOCE Level 1b data reprocessing on GOCE-only and combined gravity field models

The reprocessing of Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) Level 1b gradiometer and star tracker data applying upgraded processing methods leads to improved gravity gradient and attitude products. The impact of these enhanced products on GOCE-only and combined GOCE+GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) gravity field models is analyzed in detail, based on a two-months data period of Nov. and Dec. 2009, and applying a rigorous gravity field solution of full normal equations. Gravity field models that are based only on GOCE gradiometer data benefit most, especially in the low to medium degree range of the harmonic spectrum, but also for specific groups of harmonic coefficients around order 16 and its integer multiples, related to the satellite’s revolution frequency. However, due to the fact that also (near-)sectorial coefficients are significantly improved up to high degrees (which is caused mainly by an enhanced second derivative in Y direction of the gravitational potential — V_YY), also combined gravity field models, including either GOCE orbit information or GRACE data, show improvements of more than 10% compared to the use of original gravity gradient data. Finally, the resulting gradiometry-only, GOCE-only and GOCE+GRACE global gravity field models have been externally validated by independent GPS/levelling observations in selected regions. In conclusion, it can be expected that several applications will benefit from the better quality of data and resulting GOCE and combined gravity field models.     

Satellite gravity gradiometry: Secular gravity field change over polar regions

The ESA Gravity and steady state Ocean and Circulation Explorer, GOCE, mission will utilise the principle of satellite gravity gradiometry to measure the long to medium wavelengths in the static gravity field. Previous studies have demonstrated the low sensitivity of GOCE to ocean tides and to temporal gravity field variations at the seasonal scale. In this study we investigate the sensitivity of satellite gradiometry missions such as GOCE to secular signals due to ice-mass change observed in Greenland and Antarctica. We show that unaccounted ice-mass change signal is likely to increase GOCE-related noise but that the expected present-day polar ice-mass change is below the GOCE sensitivity for an 18-month mission. Furthermore, 2–3 orders of magnitude improvement in the gradiometry in future gradiometer missions is necessary to detect ice-mass change with sufficient accuracy at the spatial resolution of interest.     

Spectral assessment of isostatic gravity models against CHAMP,GRACE, GOCE satellite-only and combined gravity models

The availability of digital elevation databases representing the topographic and bathymetric relief with global homogeneous coverage and increasing resolution permits the computation of crust-related Earth gravity models, the so-called topographic/isostatic Earth gravity models (henceforth T/I models). Although expressing the spherical harmonic content of the topographic masses, the interpretation purpose of T/I models has not been given the attention it deserves, apart from the fact that they express some degree of compensation to the observed spectrum of the topographic heights, depending on the kind of the applied compensation mechanism. The present contribution attempts to improve the interpretation aspects of T/I Earth gravity models. To this end, a rigorous spectral assessment is performed to a standard Airy/Heiskanen T/I model against different CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP), Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Gravity field and steadystate Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite-only, and combined gravity models. Different correlation bandwidths emerge for these four groups of satellite-based gravity models. The band-limited forward computation of the models using these bandwidths reproduces nicely the main features of the applied T/I model.     

基于时空域混合法利用Kaula正则化精确和快速解算GOCE地球重力场

为了研究卫星重力梯度技术对中高频地球重力场反演精度的影响,本文基于时空域混合法,利用Kaula正则化反演了250阶GOCE地球重力场.模拟结果表明:第一,时空域混合法是精确和快速求解高阶地球重力场的有效方法;第二,Kaula正则化是降低正规阵病态性的重要方法;第三,基于改进的预处理共轭梯度迭代法可快速求解大型线性方程组...     

基于GRACE Follow-On卫星重力梯度法精确反演地球重力场

由于GRACE Follow-On双星系统等效于基线长为星间距离的一维水平重力梯度仪,因此本文基于GRACE Follow-On卫星重力梯度法开展了精确和快速反演下一代地球重力场的可行性论证研究. 研究结果表明：第一,基于GRACE Follow-On卫星重力梯度法（GFO-SGGM）,利用卫星轨道参数（轨道高度250 km、星间距离50 km、轨道倾角89°、轨道离心率0.001）、关键载荷测量精度（星间距离10^-6 m、星间速度10^-7 m·s^-1、星间加速度10^-10 m·s^-2、轨道位置10^-3 m、轨道速度10^-6 m·s^-1、非保守力10^-11 m·s^-2）、观测时间30天和采样间隔10 s反演了120阶地球重力场,在120阶处累计大地水准面精度为9.331×10^-4 m. 第二,在120阶内,利用将来GRACE Follow-On双星反演地球重力场精度较现有GRACE双星平均提高61倍,因此GRACE Follow-On卫星重力梯度法是进一步提高地球重力场反演精度的优选方法. 第三,下一代GRACE Follow-On计划较当前GRACE计划的优点如下：轨道高度更低（200~300 km）、载荷精度更高（10^-7 ~10^-9 m·s^-1）和星间距离更短（50~100 km）.     

Integral inversion of SST data of type GRACE

Satellite missions CHAMP and GRACE dedicated to global mapping of the Earth’s gravity field yield accurate satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) data used for recovery of global geopotential models usually in a form of a finite set of Stokes’s coefficients. The US-German Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) yields SST data in both the high-low and low-low mode. Observed satellite positions and changes in the intersatellite range can be inverted through the Newtonian equation of motion into values of the unknown geopotential. The geopotential is usually approximated in observation equations by a truncated harmonic series with unknown coefficients. An alternative approach based on integral inversion of the SST data of type GRACE into discrete values of the geopotential at a geocentric sphere is discussed in this article. In this approach, observation equations have a form of Green’s surface integrals with scalar-valued integral kernels. Despite their higher complexity, the kernel functions exhibit features typical for other integral kernels used in geodesy for inversion of gravity field data. The two approaches are discussed and compared based on their relative advantages and intended applications. The combination of heterogeneous gravity data through integral equations is also outlined in the article. panovak@kma.zcu.cz     

利用SWARM卫星高低跟踪探测格陵兰岛时变重力信号

GRACE重力卫星任务即将结束,后续GRACE Follow-On卫星计划于2017年发射,在此期间,迫切需要一个新的卫星计划继续对全球时变重力场进行连续监测,以保证时变重力场信息时间序列的连贯性.SWARM计划包括三颗轨道高为300~500 km的近极轨卫星星座,类似于三颗CHAMP卫星,具有接替时变重力场探测的潜力.本文首先分析SWARM(模拟)、CHAMP、GRACE反演至60阶时变重力场球谐系数的误差特性及不同高斯平滑半径对高频误差的抑制效果,然后分别利用SWARM、CHAMP、GRACE的时变重力场模型恢复全球质量变化,结果表明,SWARM模拟观测数据的高频误差低于CHAMP观测数据,探测时变重力场的整体精度优于CHAMP,略低于GRACE探测精度;其次,对比2003年1月—2009年12月期间CHAMP(hl-SST)和GRACE(ll-SST)时变重力场模型反演格陵兰岛冰盖质量变化趋势,结果显示,CHAMP数据得到格陵兰岛冰盖质量变化趋势为-50.2±2.0 Gt/a,GRACE所得结果为-41.2±1.6 Gt/a,两者相差21.8%;最后,对比2000年1月—2004年12月间SWARM模拟数据和"真实"模型数据反演的格陵兰岛冰盖质量变化趋势,结果表明,两者相差19.2%.本文研究表明,利用SWARM hl-SST数据探测时变重力场可以达到20%相对精度水平,有潜力用于填补GRACE和GRACE Follow-On期间探测地球时变重力场的空白.     

卫星重力学与重力卫星研究进展

综述了地球重力场研究对揭示其运动和时变与地震之间的关系的重要性；介绍了当今国际固体地球科学与防灾研究的一个新热点——卫星重力学与重力卫星研究的进展。随着重力卫星计划的实施，地球重力场的研究也将因此产生质的变化。文章对CHAMP、GRACE和GOCE重力卫星作了介绍。     

GOCE Quick-Look Gravity Solution: Application of the Semianalytic Approach in the Case of Data Gaps and Non-Repeat Orbits

The satellite mission GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer), the first Core Mission of the Earth Explorer Programme funded by ESA (European Space Agency), is dedicated to the precise modelling of the Earth's gravity field, with its launch planned for 2006. The mathematical models for parameterizing the Earth's gravity field are based on a series expansion into spherical harmonics, yielding a huge number of unknown coefficients. Their computation leads to the solution of very large normal equation systems. An efficient way to handle these equation systems is the so-called semianalytic or lumped coefficients approach, which theoretically requires an uninterrupted, continuous time series of observations, recorded along an exact circular repeat orbit. In this paper the consequences of violating these conditions are analyzed. The effects of an interrupted observation stream onto the estimated spherical harmonic coefficients are demonstrated, and an iterative strategy, which reduces the negative influence depending on the characteristics of the data gaps, is proposed. Additionally, the impact of an imperfectly closing orbit (non-repeat orbit) on the gravity field model is analyzed, and a strategy to minimize the corresponding errors is presented. The applicability of the semianalytic approach also to a joint inversion of satellite-to-satellite tracking data in high-low mode (hl-SST) and satellite gravity gradiometry (SGG) observations is demonstrated, where the analysis of the former component is based on the energy conservation law. Several realistic case studies prove that the semianalytic approach is a feasible tool to generate quick-look gravity solutions, i.e. fast coefficient estimates using only partial data sets. This quick-look analysis shall be able to detect potential distortions of statistical significance (e.g. systematic errors) in the input data, and to give a fast feedback to the GOCE mission control.     

Performance of GOCE and GRACE-derived mean dynamic topographies in resolving Antarctic Circumpolar Current fronts

Presently, two satellite missions, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE), are making detailed measurements of the Earth’s gravity field, from which the geoid can be obtained. The mean dynamic topography (MDT) is the difference between the time-averaged sea surface height and the geoid. The GOCE mission is aimed at determining the geoid with superior accuracy and spatial resolution, so that a more accurate MDT can be estimated. In this study, we determine the mean positions of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current fronts using the purely geodetic estimates of the MDT constructed from an altimetric mean sea surface and GOCE and GRACE geoids. Overall, the frontal positions obtained from the GOCE and GRACE MDTs are close to each other. This means that these independent estimates are robust and can potentially be used to validate frontal positions obtained from sparse and irregular in situ measurements. The geodetic frontal positions are compared to earlier estimates as well as to those derived from MDTs based on satellite and in situ measurements and those obtained from an ocean data synthesis product. The position of the Sub-Antarctic Front identified in the GOCE MDT is found to be in better agreement with the previous estimates than that identified in the GRACE MDT. The geostrophic velocities derived from the GOCE MDT are also closer to observations than those derived from the GRACE MDT. Our results thus show that the GOCE mission represents an improvement upon GRACE in terms of the time-averaged geoid.     

卫星重力探测技术的发展

在地球物理勘探领域中,人造地球卫星的发射为重力测量提供了新的途径。与以往探测重力的手段相比,重力卫星的发射大大改善了人们对地球重力场的认识,随着CHAMP、GRACE和GOCE卫星的发射,将把现有静态中长波部分重力场的精度提高1—2个数量级,并提供长波部分重力场随时间变化的信息。卫星重力学对我国的基础测绘服务和国防建设有着重要的实用价值。     

GOCE, Satellite Gravimetry and Antarctic Mass Transports

In 2009 the European Space Agency satellite mission GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer) was launched. Its objectives are the precise and detailed determination of the Earth’s gravity field and geoid. Its core instrument, a three axis gravitational gradiometer, measures the gravity gradient components V _xx , V _yy , V _zz and V _xz (second-order derivatives of the gravity potential V) with high precision and V _xy , V _yz with low precision, all in the instrument reference frame. The long wavelength gravity field is recovered from the orbit, measured by GPS (Global Positioning System). Characteristic elements of the mission are precise star tracking, a Sun-synchronous and very low (260 km) orbit, angular control by magnetic torquing and an extremely stiff and thermally stable instrument environment. GOCE is complementary to GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment), another satellite gravity mission, launched in 2002. While GRACE is designed to measure temporal gravity variations, albeit with limited spatial resolution, GOCE is aiming at maximum spatial resolution, at the expense of accuracy at large spatial scales. Thus, GOCE will not provide temporal variations but is tailored to the recovery of the fine scales of the stationary field. GRACE is very successful in delivering time series of large-scale mass changes of the Antarctic ice sheet, among other things. Currently, emphasis of respective GRACE analyses is on regional refinement and on changes of temporal trends. One of the challenges is the separation of ice mass changes from glacial isostatic adjustment. Already from a few months of GOCE data, detailed gravity gradients can be recovered. They are presented here for the area of Antarctica. As one application, GOCE gravity gradients are an important addition to the sparse gravity data of Antarctica. They will help studies of the crustal and lithospheric field. A second area of application is ocean circulation. The geoid surface from the gravity field model GOCO01S allows us now to generate rather detailed maps of the mean dynamic ocean topography and of geostrophic flow velocities in the region of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.     

Gravity field contribution analysis of GOCE gravitational gradient components

A gravity field model is computed from the four accurate gravitational gradient components of GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer), combined with the analysis of the kinematic orbits, and some moderate constraint (or stabilization) in the polar areas where no observation from GOCE is available due to the orbit geometry. The normal matrix of each component is computed individually in order to study its contribution to the combined solution. The results show that the contribution of V_zz is the largest, with an average value of 32.74% of the total solution; the second and the third largest are V_zz and V_yy, with average values of 28.04% and 26.08%, respectively; the component V_xz contributes 11.81%. Validation with external data shows that each component has its characteristic value and that the information content of the component V_xz is not negligible and should be included for gravity field recovery. The orbit part as derived from high-low satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST-hl) to the GPS contributes mostly to the coefficients below degree and order (d/o) 20, and to non-zonal coefficients from d/o 20 to 80. The mean value of the contribution of the polar stabilization is the smallest with a value of 0.22%, nevertheless it is important. In addition to the contribution analysis in terms of the normal matrices, each individual component of the gradiometer has been combined with SST and polar stabilization, to give a set of single component gravity field models. These partially combined solutions are compared to the fully combined solution in terms of geoid differences. They show that the partially combined solution with V_zz is closest to the complete solution. Even closer is a combination with V_xx and V_yy. In addition to the GOCE-only solution, a GOCE-GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) combined gravity field model is derived and the information content of GOCE and an available set of normal equations of GRACE are investigated. Results show that, as expected, GRACE dominates the solution below degree 90 and GOCE above degree 140.     

利用解析法有效快速估计将来GRACE Follow-On地球重力场的精度

本文首次利用解析法有效快速估计了将来GRACE（Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment） Follow-On地球重力场的精度. 第一,基于功率谱原理分别建立了新的GRACE Follow-On卫星激光干涉星间测量系统星间速度、GPS接收机轨道位置和轨道速度以及加速度计非保守力误差影响累计大地水准面的单独和联合解析误差模型. 第二,利用提出的GRACE卫星关键载荷匹配精度指标和美国喷气推进实验室（JPL）公布的GRACE Level 1B实测精度指标的一致性,以及估计的GRACE累计大地水准面精度和德国波兹坦地学研究中心（GFZ）公布的EIGEN-GRACE02S地球重力场模型实测精度的符合性,验证了本文建立的解析误差模型是可靠的. 第三,论证了GRACE Follow-On卫星不同关键载荷匹配精度指标和轨道高度对地球重力场精度的影响. 在360阶处,利用轨道高度250 km、星间距离50 km、星间速度误差1×10^-9m/s、轨道位置误差3×10^-5m、轨道速度误差3×10^-8m/s和非保守力误差3×10^-13m/s²,基于联合解析误差模型估计累计大地水准面的精度为1.231×10^-1 m. 本文的研究不仅为当前GRACE和将来GRACE Follow-On地球重力场精度的有效快速确定提供了理论基础和计算保证,同时对国际将来GRAIL（Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory）月球卫星重力测量计划的成功实施具有重要的参考意义.     

Comparing recent geopotential models in Andalusia (Southern Spain)

This work focuses on the comparison between satellite-only and combined Global Geopotential Models (GGMs) derived from the CHAMP and GRACE satellite missions with land gravity anomalies, geoid undulations provided by the gravimetric geoid ANDALUSGeoid2002 and GPS/levelling geoid undulations in Andalusia in order to find the GGM that best fits this area in order to be used in a further geoid computation. The results show that the EIGEN-CG01C model or the combined models GGM02C/EIGEN-CG01C and ITG-CHAMP01E/EIGEN-CG01C should be used.     

单加速度计模式下的GOCE卫星重力场建模方法研究

GOCE卫星由于加速度计的特殊安装方式,其非保守力主要由普通模式的组合加速度提供,使得单个加速度计的特征更难提取.本文首次采用实测数据,研究了单加速度计模式下的高低跟踪数据处理.利用GOCE任务2009年(2009-11—2009-12)的实测数据,分别以GOCE卫星梯度仪坐标系三个坐标轴正向的加速度计为研究对象,利用1s间隔的高采样轨道数据,采用动力法同时进行卫星重力场建模和加速度计的精密校准.为了克服两极地区的数据缺失对重力场模型低次系数的影响,即所谓的极空白问题,引入同期GRACE卫星的观测数据,采用方差分量估计方法,建立了GRACE/GOCE卫星跟踪卫星重力场模型WHU-GRGO-SST.该模型完全到100阶次,经6169个美国GPS水准点数据检验,在同阶次上与EGM2008和GGM05S的精度水平相同.分析发现,GOCE卫星的加速度计偏差参数存在显著的漂移,也显示了单加速度计模式处理GOCE高低跟踪数据的优势.本文的研究成果为建立静态高分辨率、高精度的GRACE/GOCE重力场模型提供了更严密的模型与技术方案,同时也为GOCE卫星梯度仪校准,以及梯度数据的深入分析提供了重要的参考信息.     

融合GOCE和GRACE卫星数据的无约束重力场模型Tongji-GOGR2019S

本文在法方程层面融合GOCE卫星的V_xx、V_yy、V_zz和V_xz重力梯度分量观测数据和GRACE卫星观测数据,采用直接法解算了220阶次的重力场模型Tongji-GOGR2019S.首先利用ⅡR带通滤波器在5~41 mHz的重力梯度带宽范围内对约24个月的GOCE重力梯度观测方程进行无相移滤波处理,并组成解算220阶次重力场模型的法方程,各梯度分量根据相对于参考模型统计精度进行定权;然后与13.5 a GRACE数据建立的180阶次Tongji-Grace02s重力场模型的法方程进行叠加,解算了220阶次的无约束纯卫星重力场模型Tongji-GOGR2019S.利用EIGEN-6C4重力场模型、GNSS/水准数据、DTU15重力异常数据以及欧洲区域似大地水准面模型EGG2015等数据对Tongji-GOGR2019S模型精度进行全面的检核评定,结果表明：引入GOCE卫星梯度数据后,高于72阶的位系数精度优于Tongji-Grace02s模型,Tongji-GOGR2019S模型的整体精度接近同阶次的DIR-R6等GOCE卫星第6代模型.     

Conforming Falcon‡ gravity and the global gravity anomaly

Gravity derived only from airborne gravity gradient measurements with a normal error distribution will have an error that increases with wavelength. It is straightforward in principle to use sparsely sampled regional gravimeter data to provide the long wavelength information, thereby conforming the derived gravity to the regional gravity. Regional surface or airborne gravimeter data are not always available and can be difficult and expensive to collect in many of the areas where an airborne gravity gradiometer survey is flown. However the recent release by the Danish National Space Centre of the DNSC08 global gravity anomaly data has provided regional gravity data for the entire earth of adequate quality for this purpose. Studies over three areas, including comparisons with ground, marine and airborne gravimetry, demonstrate the validity of this approach. Future improvements in global gravity anomaly data are expected, particularly as the product from the recently launched Gravity field and steady‐state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite becomes available and these will lead directly to an improvement in the very wide bandwidth gravity available after conforming gravity derived from gravity gradiometry with the global gravity.     

GRACE和SLR观测的地球动力学扁率最大熵谱及小波相关分析

卫星重力测量技术的实现为测定地球动力学扁率提供了新的方式和途径，GRACE卫星是目前最新的重力测量卫星，据其恢复的低阶重力场较以往精度得到大大提高，然而其观测地球动力学扁率（二阶项）却与卫星激光测距（SLR）结果相差较大.本文采用最大熵谱和小波分析方法对GRACE和SLR观测的地球动力学扁率时间序列信号进行定量比较分析，结果表明：GRACE观测的地球动力学扁率年际周期变化振幅仅为SLR观测结果的25%，并且目前GRACE观测的地球动力学扁率数据中含有系统输入信息和相位差，但前者较后者包含有较强的短周期（2～6月）信息.造成这种差异的主要原因可能来自于GRACE与SLR全球观测数据时空分布不同.