High spatio-temporal resolution changes in Earth's gravity field from GOCE with application to ice mass balance

2007年底，欧洲航天局将发射首个地球探测任务。重力场和稳态海洋环流探测器（GOCE）任务的重点是确定高分辨率和精度（~1cm, 116km）的全球静态重力场及其后续开发，以确定稳态动态海洋地形。它计划运行两个为期6个月的观测窗口，每个窗口间隔约6个月。任务延长可能会有更多的观测窗口。虽然GOCE数据的重点是静态重力场，但它对每六个月窗口的质量变化很敏感。提出的研究是实现一种算法，允许在GOCE数据发布之前确定时变重力场。也就是说，在每6个月的观测窗口中，我们将确定重力场的长期变化。这样做的目的是在将来以这种方式利用GOCE数据，以便更好地了解特别是在格陵兰岛东南部和南极洲部分地区观测到的快速冰块变化。

In late 2007, the European Space Agency's first Earth Explorer mission will be launched. The Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) mission, is focused on the determination of a high resolution and accuracy (~1cm at 116km) global static gravity field and its subsequent exploitation to determine the steady-state dynamic ocean topography. It is scheduled to operate for two six month observation windows each separated by approximately 6 months. Mission extension may allow further observation windows. While the focus of GOCE data is on the static gravity field it will be sensitive to mass variations over each six month window. The proposed research is to implement an algorithm to allow for time-variable gravity fields to be determined ahead of the GOCE data release. Namely, over each 6 month observation window, we will determine a secular change in the gravity field. The purpose of this is to, in the future, exploit the GOCE data in this way to enable a greater understanding of rapid ice mass changes observed notably in SE Greenland and parts of Antarctica.