HR: 0800h
AN: G31C-0807    [Abstracts]
TI: ESA's Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) Mission
AU: Drinkwater, M R
EM: mark.drinkwater@esa.int
AF: European Space Agency, ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1 (EOP-SMO), Noordwijk, ZH 2200 AZ Netherlands
AU: * Haagmans, R
EM: roger.haagmans@esa.int
AF: European Space Agency, ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1 (EOP-SMO), Noordwijk, ZH 2200 AZ Netherlands
AB: The Earth's gravity field is the fundamental physical force for every dynamic process on its surface. With the Gravity Field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) Mission as its first Earth Explorer core mission, the European Space Agency (ESA) is playing an important role in this `geopotential decade' by preparing for acquisition of a high quality, high spatial resolution gravity field and geoid for future scientific applications. GOCE combines an innovative new three-axis gravity gradiometer (EGG) instrument (comprising three x, y, z pairs of accelerometers with a baseline separation of 0.5 m) with a drag-compensating ion-propulsion system to measure for the first time the full gravity gradient tensor along its orbit at 250 km altitude. GOCE will carry a GPS satellite-to-satellite tracking navigation system for 3-dimensional positioning, star trackers for precise pointing knowledge, and a laser retroreflector for ground laser tracking. GOCE is specifically designed to make accurate and precise measurements of the stationary gravity field and gravity anomalies (to 1 mGal) at high spatial resolution (100 km). The data will facilitate the computation of a high spatial resolution (100 km) global geoid model to 1-2 cm accuracy. Applications of these products will be illustrated using examples in oceanography, solid-earth physics and geodesy. After a successful completion of the design consolidation phase, the construction phase for the GOCE satellite is presently underway, with an anticipated a launch in late 2006.
UR: http://www.esa.int/livingplanet/goce
DE: 4532 General circulation
DE: 1229 Reference systems
DE: 1234 Regional and global gravity anomalies and Earth structure
DE: 1241 Satellite orbits
DE: 1294 Instruments and techniques
SC: Geodesy [G]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting