Impact of groundtrack pattern of double pair missions on the gravity recovery quality

Lessons from the ESA SC4MGV project

authored by: S. Iran Pour, M. Weigelt, T. Reubelt, N. Sneeuw
Abstract: The launch of the GRACE mission brought a broad interest within the geophysical community in monitoring temporal gravity field variations. Due to the limited lifetime of GRACE, several studies have been conducted for the search of optimal GRACE follow-on and future satellite gravity missions. These studies mainly discuss the use of alternative formations like Pendulum, Cartwheel and LISA as well as the double inline pair missions with different orbits as a possible substitute of the current GRACE mission. The double satellite pair configuration in a so-called Bender constellation, however, is currently in the focus of research into time-variable gravity field recovery by future satellite missions, where the primary objective is to achieve higher temporal and spatial resolutions.When looking for optimal double inline missions, one important aspect is the impact of the groundtrack pattern of such missions on the quality of gravity recovery. The investigation of pattern distribution impact on the recovery quality may lead to a better understanding of orbital parameter optimization. This study, in particular, investigates the influence of relative differences between the ascending nodes (longitude) in a double pair mission. The research aims to show how the variations in ascending node difference change the quality of gravity solutions to the large extent. We also show the impact of the time-variable gravity field itself on the error level of the gravity solutions, i.e. how the quality of the gravity field changes simply by changing the signal being sampled, but holding the sampling constant.
External Organisation(s): University of Stuttgart
Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG)
Landesamt für Geoinformation und Landentwicklung Baden-Württemberg (LGL-BW)
Type: Conference contribution
Pages: 97-101
No. of pages: 5
Publication date: 2018
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Computers in Earth Sciences, Geophysics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/1345_2016_228 (Access: Closed)
: Details in the research portal "Research@Leibniz University"

BibTeX

@inproceedings{183da04890524ba39545eccd8789de02,
title = "Impact of groundtrack pattern of double pair missions on the gravity recovery quality: Lessons from the ESA SC4MGV project",
abstract = "The launch of the GRACE mission brought a broad interest within the geophysical community in monitoring temporal gravity field variations. Due to the limited lifetime of GRACE, several studies have been conducted for the search of optimal GRACE follow-on and future satellite gravity missions. These studies mainly discuss the use of alternative formations like Pendulum, Cartwheel and LISA as well as the double inline pair missions with different orbits as a possible substitute of the current GRACE mission. The double satellite pair configuration in a so-called Bender constellation, however, is currently in the focus of research into time-variable gravity field recovery by future satellite missions, where the primary objective is to achieve higher temporal and spatial resolutions.When looking for optimal double inline missions, one important aspect is the impact of the groundtrack pattern of such missions on the quality of gravity recovery. The investigation of pattern distribution impact on the recovery quality may lead to a better understanding of orbital parameter optimization. This study, in particular, investigates the influence of relative differences between the ascending nodes (longitude) in a double pair mission. The research aims to show how the variations in ascending node difference change the quality of gravity solutions to the large extent. We also show the impact of the time-variable gravity field itself on the error level of the gravity solutions, i.e. how the quality of the gravity field changes simply by changing the signal being sampled, but holding the sampling constant.",
keywords = "Future gravity missions, Gravity field recovery, Groundtrack",
author = "Pour, {S. Iran} and M. Weigelt and T. Reubelt and N. Sneeuw",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016.; International Symposium on Earth and Environmental Sciences for Future Generations, 2015 ; Conference date: 22-06-2015 Through 02-07-2015",
year = "2018",
doi = "10.1007/1345_2016_228",
language = "English",
isbn = "9783319691695",
series = "International Association of Geodesy Symposia",
publisher = "Springer Verlag",
pages = "97--101",
editor = "Laura Sanchez and Freymueller, {Jeffrey T.}",
booktitle = "International Symposium on Earth and Environmental Sciences for Future Generations - Proceedings of the IAG General Assembly",
address = "Germany",
}