Comparing GRACE Follow-On Inter-Satellite Pointing Angles from Star Camera and LRI Fast Steering Mirror

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission is observing the time variable gravity field by measuring distance variations between two satellites. The first Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) between distant spacecraft uses a so-called Fast Steering Mirror (FSM) to satisfy the narrow LRI pointing requirements despite the larger spacecraft pointing variations. The position readout of these mirrors allow to compute the inter-satellite pointing angles yaw and pitch w.r.t. the line-of-sight connecting both satellites. The nominal pointing variations have a magnitude of a few 100 µrad. Typically, the attitude information of roll, pitch and yaw angles is derived from three star cameras and fibre optic gyroscopes. Since we are particularly interested in the characterization of the FSM at low-frequencies, we compare the FSM readout with star camera measurements for the time-span of December 2018 until December 2022. The residuals show temperature induced changes which are related to the varying orientation of the orbital plane and the sun, expressed through the angle β’. We will present our analysis that attempts to attribute and model the residuals. This analysis is of interest for future gravity missions, where the FSM could be implemented as an additional attitude sensor to control the satellite orientation

Generation of Level 1 Data Products and Validating the Correctness of Currently Available Release 04 Data for the GRACE Follow-On Laser Ranging Interferometer

The satellite pair of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-On orbits the Earth, while their inter-satellite distance changes are measured with an accuracy never reached before. This is achieved with the first Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) that oper- ates between two distant spacecraft. The mission is based on a US-German collaboration for investigating Earth’s gravitational field and its temporal variations. The LRI was developed with the involvement of the Albert Einstein Institute (AEI) and the instrument has been running reliably for about 3 years now. The AEI has an interest in verifying and validating the LRI Level 1 data products, to ensure that the officially provided LRI data (Release 04 or v04) is correct and useful for gravity field determination. Level 1 data results from the raw telemetry of the spacecraft and serves as an intermediate step before the actual gravity field solutions can be created. Furthermore, the Level 1 data is divided into Level 1A and Level 1B products, where Level 1B is the result of further processing of Level 1A. The author of this thesis has implemented a processing chain in the existing framework of data processing and data analysis at AEI. The new processing chain generates alternative LRI Level 1A data products and especially the LRI1B product. They are referred to as v50 data. The data sets of v04 and v50 were compared in order to identify discrepancies between both versions. It turns out that the LRI Level 1A v04 products show some minor imperfections like a few missing packets of the data, incorrect units or time frame identifiers which do not match with the product description. However, the LRI phase measurements within the LRI1A product are provided correctly, which is the most important data for deriving a correct LRI1B product and the subsequent gravity field solutions. In the case of LRI1B, the range measurement in v50 shows a lower noise level on some individual days than v04. This might be related to instrument reboots, incorrect clock data, and to jumps in the phase measurement, which result for example from thruster activation, but were probably not completely removed from v04 data. In summary, this thesis will introduce some theoretical basics on laser interferometry and occurring effects of relativity in space. Afterwards, the GRACE Follow-On mission and the functionality of the LRI are presented in detail. Furthermore, the different levels of data processing are discussed and the LRI Level 1A and LRI1B processing steps are explained. Finally, the differences of v04 and v50, and their origins will be clarified

A gender story of social disengagement of young adults in Latin America

In the recent years, Latin America has seen a large number of young adults who are neither engaged in formal education nor work, commonly dubbed as "nini" ("ni" trabajan "ni" estudian). This study tests the role household structure plays on becoming a nini in 12 Latin American countries. We explore the gender dynamic of human capital stagnation and intergenerational mobility by focusing on early family formation for women and men aged 20-25 using censuses from the Integrated Public-Use Microdata Series (IPUMS-I). Countryspecific linear regression models reveal that the intersection of class and gender is a major determinant of labor force and educational disengagement in the region. Women from lower social origin who leave parental home to enter union and parenthood at younger ages are particularly disadvantaged. Moreover, among those who are active in the labor market, young mothers are less likely to experience upward intergenerational mobility in occupation compared to those who delay childbearing. This work highlights the importance of addressing economic and educational disengagement of early adulthood to foster economic growth and development in the region

Heidelberg Journal of International Law

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Chameleon Effects in Homework Research: The Homework-Achievement Association Depends on the Measures Used and the Level of Analysis Chosen

Using a data set specifically tailored to homework research, with a sample of 1,275 students from 70 classes in Switzerland, the association between homework and achievement in French as a second language was tested at three levels (class level, between-student level, within-student level). The strength and direction of the homework-achievement association depended on the homework indicator chosen and differed to some degree across analytical levels. At the class level, achievement was higher in classes set frequent homework assignments and in classes where students reported low overall levels of negative emotions when doing homework. At the between-student level, high homework effort and low levels of negative homework emotions predicted favorable developments in French achievement, whereas high homework time predicted lower achievement. At the intraindividual level, high homework effort, high homework time, and low levels of negative homework emotions were statistically significantly associated with positive student evaluations of the specific assignment