Synopsis of early field test results from the gravity gradiometer survey system

Abstract

Although the amount of data yielded by the initial airborne and surface tests was modest, it was sufficient to demonstrate that the full gravity gradient tensor was successfully measured from moving platforms both in the air and on the surface. The measurements were effectively continuous with spatial along-track resolution limited only by choice of integration lengths taken to reduce noise. The airborne data were less noisy (800 E squared/Hz typical) than were the Gravity Gradiometer Survey System (GGSS) measurements taken at the surface (5000 E squared/Hz typical). Single tracks of surface gravity disturbances recovered from airborne data were accurate to 3 to 4 mgal in each component of gravity when compared to 5 x 5 mean gravity anomalies over a 90 km track. Multitrack processing yielded 2 to 3 mgal when compared to 5 x 5 mean anomalies. Deflection of the vertical recovery over a distance of 150 km was about one arcsecond