Gravity field processing with enhanced numerical precision for LL-SST missions

Daras, Ilias; Pail, Roland; Murböck, Michael; Yi, Wu

doi:10.1007/s00190-014-0764-2

Cited by 25 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…It should be emphasized that for all simulation results that have been shown here there is a signicant potential of further optimization regarding (a) the orbit con guration, and (b) the processing schemes, which will have to be further investigated in more depth for the high-low scenario. First numerical closed-loop simulations applying a full-scale simulation tool (Daras et al 2015) largely con rm the results presented here. They will be part of future work.…”

Section: Numerical Simulation and Resultssupporting

confidence: 71%

“…where ρ w and ρ e represent the average densities of water and Earth, athe semi-major axis of the Earth, and kn the load Love number of degree n. Another important issue related to the choice of optimal orbit heights is the reduction of temporal aliasing due to under-sampling. In (Murböck et al 2015) a number of optimal orbit altitude bands are identi ed, where the impact of temporal aliasing is signi cantly reduced. Several numerical simulations have shown, that regarding orbit choice and related ground track coverage there is some design freedom, provided that the repeat period of the LEOs is long enough to guarantee su cient spatial resolution and avoiding spatial undersampling.…”

Section: Technical Concepts Observation Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mass variation observing system by high low inter-satellite links (MOBILE) – a new concept for sustained observation of mass transport from space

Pail

Bamber

Biancale

et al. 2019

Journal of Geodetic Science

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As changes in gravity are directly related to mass variability, satellite missions observing the Earth’s time varying gravity field are a unique tool for observing mass transport processes in the Earth system, such as the water cycle, rapid changes in the cryosphere, oceans, and solid Earth processes, on a global scale. The observation of Earth’s gravity field was successfully performed by the GRACE and GOCE satellite missions, and will be continued by the GRACE Follow-On mission. A comprehensive team of European scientists proposed the next-generation gravity field mission MOBILE in response to the European Space Agency (ESA) call for a Core Mission in the frame of Earth Explorer 10 (EE10). MOBILE is based on the innovative observational concept of a high-low tracking formation with micrometer ranging accuracy, complemented by new instrument concepts. Since a high-low tracking mission primarily observes the radial component of gravity-induced orbit perturbations, the error structure is close to isotropic. This geometry significantly reduces artefacts of previous along-track ranging low-low formations (GRACE, GRACE-Follow-On) such as the typical striping patterns. The minimum configuration consists of at least two medium-Earth orbiters (MEOs) at 10000 km altitude or higher, and one low-Earth orbiter (LEO) at 350-400 km. The main instrument is a laser-based distance or distance change measurement system, which is placed at the LEO. The MEOs are equipped either with passive reflectors or transponders. In a numerical closed-loop simulation, it was demonstrated that this minimum configuration is in agreement with the threshold science requirements of 5 mm equivalent water height (EWH) accuracy at 400 km wavelength, and 10 cm EWH at 200 km. MOBILE provides promising potential future perspectives by linking the concept to existing space infrastructure such as Galileo next-generation, as future element of the Copernicus/Sentinel programme, and holds the potential of miniaturization even up to swarm configurations. As such MOBILE can be considered as a precursor and role model for a sustained mass transport observing system from space.

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Section: Numerical Simulation and Resultssupporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Technical Concepts Observation Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass variation observing system by high low inter-satellite links (MOBILE) – a new concept for sustained observation of mass transport from space

Pail

Bamber

Biancale

et al. 2019

Journal of Geodetic Science

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“…TUM: All simulations were executed with a full-scale numerical mission simulator [25,26], which has already been successfully applied in real data applications to recover satellite-only gravitational field models for CHAMP (Challenging Mini-Satellite Payload), GRACE and GOCE. The simulation environment is based on numerical orbit integration following a multistep method [27], which applies a modified divided difference form of the Adams-Bashforth-Moulton Predict-Evaluate-Correct-Evaluate (PECE) formulas and local extrapolation.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Next-Generation Gravity Missions: Sino-European Numerical Simulation Comparison Exercise

et al. 2019

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Temporal gravity retrieval simulation results of a future Bender-type double pair mission concept, performed by five processing centers of a Sino-European study team, have been inter-compared and assessed. They were computed in a synthetic closed-loop simulation world by five independent software systems applying different gravity retrieval methods, but were based on jointly defined mission scenarios. The inter-comparison showed that the results achieved a quite similar performance. Exemplarily, the root mean square (RMS) deviations of global equivalent water height fields from their true reference, resolved up to degree and order 30 of a 9-day solution, vary in the order of 10% of the target signal. Also, co-estimated independent daily gravity fields up to degree and order 15, which have been co-estimated by all processing centers, do not show large differences among each other. This positive result is an important pre-requisite and basis for future joint activities towards the realization of next-generation gravity missions.

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“…All simulations were executed with a full numerical mission simulator [33,34], which has already been successfully applied to recover satellite-only gravitational field models from GOCE data [35]. The simulation environment is based on numerical orbit integration, following a multistep method for the numerical integration according to Shampine & Gordon 1976 [36], which applies a modified divided difference form of the Adams predict-evaluate-correct-evaluate (PECE) formulas and local extrapolation.…”

Section: Simulation Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity Field Recovery Using High-Precision, High–Low Inter-Satellite Links

Hauk

Pail

2019

Remote Sensing

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Past temporal gravity field solutions from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), as well as current solutions from GRACE Follow-On, suffer from temporal aliasing errors due to undersampling of the signal to be recovered (e.g., hydrology), which arise in terms of stripes caused by the north–south observation direction. In this paper, we investigate the potential of the proposed mass variation observing system by high–low inter-satellite links (MOBILE) mission. We quantify the impact of instrument errors of the main sensors (inter-satellite link and accelerometer) and high-frequency tidal and non-tidal gravity signals on achievable performance of the temporal gravity field retrieval. The multi-directional observation geometry of the MOBILE concept with a strong dominance of the radial component result in a close-to-isotropic error behavior, and the retrieved gravity field solutions show reduced temporal aliasing errors of at least 30% for non-tidal, as well as tidal, mass variation signals compared to a low–low satellite pair configuration. The quality of the MOBILE range observations enables the application of extended alternative processing methods leading to further reduction of temporal aliasing errors. The results demonstrate that such a mission can help to get an improved understanding of different components of the Earth system.

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Gravity field processing with enhanced numerical precision for LL-SST missions

Cited by 25 publications

References 14 publications

Mass variation observing system by high low inter-satellite links (MOBILE) – a new concept for sustained observation of mass transport from space

Mass variation observing system by high low inter-satellite links (MOBILE) – a new concept for sustained observation of mass transport from space

Next-Generation Gravity Missions: Sino-European Numerical Simulation Comparison Exercise

Gravity Field Recovery Using High-Precision, High–Low Inter-Satellite Links

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