Dresden 2011 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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UP: Fachverband Umweltphysik

UP 9: Remote Sensing

UP 9.1: Hauptvortrag

Donnerstag, 17. März 2011, 15:30–16:00, HSZ 204

Inter-satellite laser ranging system for GRACE follow-on — •Benjamin Sheard, Christoph Mahrdt, Gunnar Stede, Oliver Gerberding, Nils Brause, Vitali Müller, Marina Dehne, Gerhard Heinzel, and Karsten Danzmann — Albert-Einstein-Institut Hannover and Centre for Quantum Engineering and Space-Time Research (QUEST), Hannover, Germany

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) is able to observe the Earth's dynamic gravitational field on a global scale, for example changes due to mass transport within the Hydrosphere and Cryosphere, with unprecedented precision. Regional trends and seasonal changes of the gravity field have been observed. Long term monitoring of these changes is important for a better understanding of the processes causing these time variations.

GRACE has been extended to the end of its on orbit life - expected in approximately 2015. The rapid development of a new mission similar to GRACE is of significant interest in order to minimise any gap in observation of the time variable gravitational field. Therefore a rebuild of GRACE with minimal changes is currently planned in order to minimise risk and the time to launch. This quick follow-on mission presents an opportunity to demonstrate the interferometric laser ranging technology under discussion for future gravity field missions which has the potential to enable improved spatial resolution. An overview of a planned laser ranging instrument that can operate simultaneously with the microwave ranging system will be presented.