Swarm as an Observing Platform for Large Surface Mass Transport Processes

Abstract (2017)

Authors

J. De Teixeira Da Encarnação The University of Texas at Austin, Astrodynamics & Space Missions - Aerospace Engineering
Daniel Arnold University of Bern
N Zehentner Graz University of Technology
Aleš Bezděk Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts
Christoph Dahle University of Bern, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
E.N. Doornbos Astrodynamics & Space Missions - Aerospace Engineering
J.A.A. van den IJssel Astrodynamics & Space Missions - Aerospace Engineering
A. Jaggi University of Bern
Torsten Mayer-Gürr Graz University of Technology
J Sebera ESRIN
P.N.A.M. Visser Astrodynamics & Space Missions - Aerospace Engineering
Research Group
Astrodynamics & Space Missions (Aerospace Engineering) (TU Delft)
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Published Date

2017

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Department

Space Engineering

Research Group

Astrodynamics & Space Missions

Abstract

The Swarm satellite mission provides important information regarding the temporal changes of Earth’s gravity field. Several European institutes routinely process Swarm GPS data to produce kinematic orbits, which forms the basis for the estimation of monthly gravity fields. Each institute follows a different gravity field estimation approach and all together they provide complementary advantages. As a result, the combined gravity field model is superior to any individual contribution, improving the accuracy of the measurement of mass transport processes. These models are an integral part of the European Gravity Service for Improved Emergency Management project (http://egsiem.eu), thus providing independent input, in additional to dedicated geodetic data. We illustrate the agreement of the Swarm models with the much more accurate GRACE solutions, at 1666km wavelength and over most of the Swarm mission lifetime. We additionally highlight large surface mass transport processes represented by the Swarm GPS data.