Evaluation of the third- and fourth-generation GOCE Earth gravity field models with Australian terrestrial gravity data in spherical harmonics

In March 2013 the fourth generation of ESA’s (European Space Agency) global gravity field models, DIR4 (Bruinsma et al, 2010b) and TIM4 (Pail et al, 2010), generated from the GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) gravity observation satellite were released. We evaluate the models using an independent ground truth data set of gravity anomalies over Australia. Combined with GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite gravity, a new gravity model is obtained that is used to perform comparisons with GOCE models in spherical harmonics. Over Australia, the new gravity model proves to have significantly higher accuracy in the degrees below 120 as compared to EGM2008 and seems to be at least comparable to the accuracy of this model between degree 150 and degree 260. Comparisons in terms of residual quasi-geoid heights, gravity disturbances, and radial gravity gradients evaluated on the ellipsoid and at approximate GOCE mean satellite altitude (h=250 km) show both fourth generation models to improve significantly w.r.t. their predecessors.Relatively, we find a root-mean-square improvement of 39 % for the DIR4 and 23 % for TIM4 over the respective third release models at a spatial scale of 100 km (degree 200). In terms of absolute errors TIM4 is found to perform slightly better in the bands from degree 120 up to degree 160 and DIR4 is found to perform slightly better than TIM4 from degree 170 up to degree 250. Our analyses cannot confirm the DIR4 formal error of 1 cm geoid height (0.35 mGal in terms of gravity) at degree 200. The formal errors of TIM4, with 3.2 cm geoid height (0.9 mGal in terms of gravity) at degree 200, seem to be realistic. Due to combination with GRACE and SLR data, the DIR models, at satellite altitude, clearly show lower RMS values compared to TIM models in the long wavelength part of the spectrum (below degree and order 120). Our study shows different spectral sensitivity of different functionals at ground level and at GOCE satellite altitude and establishes the link among these findings and the Meissl scheme (Rummel and van Gelderen in Manuscripta Geodaetica 20:379–385, 1995)

Combination Service for Time-variable Gravity Fields: operational GRACE-FO combination and validation of Chinese GRACE time-series

The Combination Service for Time-variable Gravity Fields (COST-G) of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) provides combined monthly gravity fields of its associated and partner Analysis Centers (ACs). In November 2020, the combination of monthly GRACE-FO gravity fields started its operational mode, providing consolidated L2 (spherical harmonics) and L3 (gridded and post-processed) products with a latency of currently 3 months. We present an overview and quality assessment of the available products. COST-G aims at the extension of its service to include further GRACE and GRACE-FO analysis centers. In January 2020 a collaboration with representatives of five Chinese ACs was initiated, who provided GRACE time-series according to the COST-G requirements. We present the results of a test combination with the Chinese AC models, including comparison and quality assessment of all contributing time-series and validation of the combined gravity fields

Combination Service for Time-variable Gravity Fields (COST-G): operations and new developments

Since its start of operations in July 2019, IAGâ?Ts Combination Service for Time-variable Gravity fields (COST-G) is providing a complete time-series of combined monthly GRACE gravity fields and a regularly updated time-series of monthly gravity fields derived from kinematic Swarm orbits. Starting from October 2020, the COST-G product line is complemented by a time-series of operationally combined and monthly updated GRACE-FO gravity fields. All these combinations are performed by variance component estimation on the solution level. We report on new developments, i.e., a planned extension of COST-G to include Chinese analysis centers of GRACE and GRACE-FO data, a re-consideration of the combination strategy to better focus on the range of spherical harmonic coefficients most relevant for the users, and the potential application of COST-G products for orbit determination of altimeter satellites

Geodesy and metrology with a transportable optical clock

partially_open24openGrotti, Jacopo; Koller, Silvio; Vogt, Stefan; Häfner, Sebastian; Sterr, Uwe; Lisdat, Christian; Denker, Heiner; Voigt, Christian; Timmen, Ludger; Rolland, Antoine; Baynes, Fred N.; Margolis, Helen S.; Zampaolo, Michel; Thoumany, Pierre; Pizzocaro, Marco; Rauf, Benjamin; Bregolin, Filippo; Tampellini, Anna; Barbieri, Piero; Zucco, Massimo; Costanzo, Giovanni A.; Clivati, Cecilia; Levi, Filippo; Calonico, DavideGrotti, Jacopo; Koller, Silvio; Vogt, Stefan; Häfner, Sebastian; Sterr, Uwe; Lisdat, Christian; Denker, Heiner; Voigt, Christian; Timmen, Ludger; Rolland, Antoine; Baynes, Fred N.; Margolis, Helen S.; Zampaolo, Michel; Thoumany, Pierre; Pizzocaro, Marco; Rauf, Benjamin; Bregolin, Filippo; Tampellini, Anna; Barbieri, Piero; Zucco, Massimo; Costanzo, Giovanni A.; Clivati, Cecilia; Levi, Filippo; Calonico, David