Hydrological Signals Observed by the GRACE Satellites

Schmidt, Roland; Flechtner, Frank; Meyer, Ulrich; Neumayer, Karl Hans; Dahle, C.; König, Rolf; Kusche, Jürgen

doi:10.1007/s10712-008-9033-3

Cited by 135 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(46 reference statements)

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“…Schmidt et al (2008aSchmidt et al ( , 2008b provide a near complete survey of this type of research and the state of the art in hydrological applications of GRACE. Hydrological models have been the main source of validation for GRACE applications to hydrology.…”

Section: Comparisons In Terms Of Global Hydrologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Decorrelated GRACE time-variable gravity solutions by GFZ, and their validation using a hydrological model

Kusche

Schmidt

Petrović

et al. 2009

J Geod

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Abstract. We have analyzed recent GRACE RL04 monthly gravity solutions, using a new decorrelating post-processing approach. We find very good agreement with mass anomalies derived from a global hydrological model (WGHM). The post-processed GRACE solutions exhibit only little amplitude damping and an almost negligeable phase shift and period distortion for relevant hydrological basins. Furthermore, these post-processed GRACE solutions have been inspected in terms of data fit with respect to the original inter-satellite ranging and to SLR and GPS observations. This kind of comparison is new. We find variations of the data fit due to solution postprocessing only within very narrow limits. This confirms our suspicion that GRACE data does not firmly 'pinpoint' the standard unconstrained solutions. Regarding the original Kusche (2007) decorrelation and smoothing method, a simplified (order-convolution) approach has been developed. This simplified approach allows to realize a higher resolution -as necessary e.g. for generating computed GRACE observations -and needs far less coefficients to be stored.

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Section: Comparisons In Terms Of Global Hydrologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Decorrelated GRACE time-variable gravity solutions by GFZ, and their validation using a hydrological model

Kusche

Schmidt

Petrović

et al. 2009

J Geod

Self Cite

318

277

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…In a recent study tailored towards the requirements of hydrological applications, Werth et al 2008 concluded that optimum filter types and parameters vary from river basin to river basin, depending on its geographical location, its shape, and the characteristics of the hydrological signals in and around the basin of interest. Estimating errors for GRACE data of continental water storage change is a major challenge for ongoing GRACE processing activities (Schmidt et al 2008b) and could not fully be achieved so far because no ground truth data sets on water storage with sufficiently large spatial extent, homogeneity and support (e.g. station density and monitoring coverage of all water storage compartments) exist.…”

Section: Grace Data Of Continental Water Storage Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Improvement of Global Hydrological Models Using GRACE Data

2008

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After about six years of GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite mission operation, an unprecedented global data set on the spatio-temporal variations of the Earth's water storage is available. The data allow for a better understanding of the water cycle at the global scale and for large river basins. This review summarizes the experiences that have been made when comparing GRACE data with simulation results of global hydrological models and it points out the prerequisites and perspectives for model improvements by combination with GRACE data. When evaluated qualitatively at the global scale, water storage variations on the continents from GRACE agreed reasonably well with model predictions in terms of their general seasonal dynamics and continental-scale spatial patterns.Differences in amplitudes and phases of water storage dynamics revealed in more detailed analyses were mainly attributed to deficiencies in the meteorological model forcing data, to missing water storage compartments in the model, but also to limitations and errors of the GRACE data. Studies that transformed previously identified model deficiencies into adequate modifications of the model structure or parameters are still rare. Prerequisites for a comprehensive improvement of large-scale hydrological models are in particular the consistency of GRACE observation and model variables in terms of filtering, reliable error estimates, and a full assessment of the water balance. Using improvements in GRACE processing techniques, complementary observation data, multi-model evaluations and advanced methods of multi-objective calibration and data assimilation, considerable progress in large-scale hydrological modelling by integration of GRACE data can be expected.

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“…The independent knowledge of these atmospheric and oceanic mass transport components is also needed in order to separate individual contributions from the GRACE gravity models and, for example, to extract hydrological (e.g. Rodell & Famiglietti 2001;Ramillien et al 2004;Schmidt et al 2008) or glaciological signals (e.g. Horwath & Dietrich 2009;Groh et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%