For more than two decades, satellite missions dedicated to the determination of the Earth's gravity field have enabled a wide variety of studies related to climate research as well as other geophysical or geodetic applications. Continuing the successful, more than 15 years long data record of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE, 2002-2017) mission, its Follow-on mission GRACE-FO, launched in May 2018, is currently in orbit providing fundamental observations to monitor global gravity variations from space. Regarding the computation of high-resolution static gravity field models of the Earth and oceanic applications, the Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE, 2009-2013) mission plays an indispensable role. Complementary to these dedicated missions, observations from other non-dedicated missions such as Swarm as well as satellite laser ranging (SLR) have shown to be of significant importance, either to bridge gaps in the GRACE/GRACE-FO time series or to improve gravity field models and scientific results derived thereof. The important role of satellite gravimetry in monitoring the Earth from space has led to various ongoing initiatives preparing for future gravity missions, including simulation studies, the definition of user and mission requirements and the investigation of potential measurement equipment and orbit scenarios.
This session solicits contributions about:
(1) Results from satellite gravimetry missions as well as from non-dedicated satellite missions in terms of
- data analyses to retrieve time-variable and static global gravity field models,
- combination synergies, and
- Earth science applications.
(2) The status and study results for future gravity field missions.