Satellite gravity gradiometry: Secular gravity field change over polar regions

Moore, P.; King, Matt

doi:10.1016/j.jog.2010.01.007

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…An important aspect of this study is that this new and robust feature of satellite gravity gradiometry is unveiled for the first time. While Moore and King [2010] predicted that GOCE cannot detect an Antarctic ice change, their proxy ice loss model employed smoothed GRACE solutions and reconstructed a vertical gradient change along the GOCE orbit. The procedure likely underestimated the signal strength in the GOCE sensitivity bandwidth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antarctic outlet glacier mass change resolved at basin scale from satellite gravity gradiometry

Bouman¹,

Fuchs²,

Ivins

et al. 2014

Geophysical Research Letters

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The orbit and instrumental measurement of the Gravity Field and Steady State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite mission offer the highest ever resolution capabilities for mapping Earth's gravity field from space. However, past analysis predicted that GOCE would not detect changes in ice sheet mass. Here we demonstrate that GOCE gravity gradiometry observations can be combined with Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity data to estimate mass changes in the Amundsen Sea Sector. This refined resolution allows land ice changes within the Pine Island Glacier (PIG), Thwaites Glacier, and Getz Ice Shelf drainage systems to be measured at respectively −67 ± 7, −63 ± 12, and −55 ± 9 Gt/yr over the GOCE observing period of November 2009 to June 2012. This is the most accurate pure satellite gravimetry measurement to date of current mass loss from PIG, known as the “weak underbelly” of West Antarctica because of its retrograde bed slope and high potential for raising future sea level.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antarctic outlet glacier mass change resolved at basin scale from satellite gravity gradiometry

Bouman¹,

Fuchs²,

Ivins

et al. 2014

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…More detailed simulation studies have confirmed that temporal gravity field variations generally remain far below the GOCE noise level (Jarecki et al 2005;Han et al 2006;Moore and King 2010). The extended mission duration now foreseen will hardly change this situation.…”

Section: Goce Versus Gracementioning

confidence: 92%

GOCE, Satellite Gravimetry and Antarctic Mass Transports

Rummel

Horwath

et al. 2011

Surv Geophys

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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.

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