Statistically optimal estimation of surface mass anomalies by directly using GRACE level-2 spherical harmonic coefficients as measurements

Point-mass inversion is widely employed in GRACE level-2 data processing. Conventionally, the spherical harmonic (SH) coefficients are used indirectly: a set of pseudo measurements is generated first using the SH coefficients through SH synthesis; then the point-mass inversion is done with these pseudo measurements. To be statistically optimal,...