月球重力场模型研究进展和我国将来月球卫星重力梯度计划实施

本文介绍了基于国际探月观测数据建立的月球重力场模型:8×4、15×8、13×13、5×5、7×7、16×16-1/2/3、Lun60d、GLGM-1/2、LP75D/G、LP100K/J、LP165P、LP150Q和SGM90d;通过对比SST-HL/LL-Doppler-VLBI和SST-HL/SGG-Doppler-VLBI跟踪观测模式的优缺点,建议我国将来首期月球卫星重力测量计划采用SST-HL/SGG-Doppler-VLBI较优;其次,通过对比静电悬浮、超导和量子卫星重力梯度仪的优缺点,建议我国将来首期月球卫星重力梯度计划采用静电悬浮重力梯度仪;并建议我国将来首颗月球重力梯度卫星的轨道高度(50～100 km)选择在已有月球探测卫星的测量盲区,轨道倾角(90°±3°)设计为有利于月球卫星观测数据全球覆盖的近极轨模式。     

Simulation of regional gravity field recovery from satellite gravity gradiometer data using collocation and FFT

When planning a satellite gravity gradiometer (SGG) mission, it is important to know the quality of the quantities to be recovered at ground level as a function of e.g. satellite altitude, data type and sampling rate, and signal variance and noise. This kind of knowledge may be provided either using the formal error estimates of wanted quantities using least-squares collocation (LSC) or by comparing simulated data at ground level with results computed by methods like LSC or Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Results of a regional gravity field recovery in a 10^o×20^o area surrounding the Alps using LSC and FFT are reported. Data used as observations in satellite altitude (202 or161 km) and for comparison at ground level were generated using theOSU86F coefficient set, complete to degree 360. These observations are referred to points across simulated orbits. The simulated quantities were computed for a 45 days mission period and 4 s sampling. A covariance function which also included terms above degree 360 was used for prediction and error estimation. This had the effect that the formal error standard deviation for gravity anomalies were considerably larger than the standard deviations of predicted minus simulated quantities. This shows the importance of using data with frequency content above degree 360 in simulation studies. Using data at202 km altitude the standard deviation of the predicted minus simulated data was equal to8.3 mgal for gravity and0.33 m for geoid heights.     

Simulation study of a follow-on gravity mission to GRACE

The gravity recovery and climate experiment (GRACE) has been providing monthly estimates of the Earth’s time-variable gravity field since its launch in March 2002. The GRACE gravity estimates are used to study temporal mass variations on global and regional scales, which are largely caused by a redistribution of water mass in the Earth system. The accuracy of the GRACE gravity fields are primarily limited by the satellite-to-satellite range-rate measurement noise, accelerometer errors, attitude errors, orbit errors, and temporal aliasing caused by un-modeled high-frequency variations in the gravity signal. Recent work by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, CO has resulted in the successful development of an interferometric laser ranging system to specifically address the limitations of the K-band microwave ranging system that provides the satellite-to-satellite measurements for the GRACE mission. Full numerical simulations are performed for several possible configurations of a GRACE Follow-On (GFO) mission to determine if a future satellite gravity recovery mission equipped with a laser ranging system will provide better estimates of time-variable gravity, thus benefiting many areas of Earth systems research. The laser ranging system improves the range-rate measurement precision to ~0.6 nm/s as compared to ~0.2 μm/s for the GRACE K-band microwave ranging instrument. Four different mission scenarios are simulated to investigate the effect of the better instrument at two different altitudes. The first pair of simulated missions is flown at GRACE altitude (~480 km) assuming on-board accelerometers with the same noise characteristics as those currently used for GRACE. The second pair of missions is flown at an altitude of ~250 km which requires a drag-free system to prevent satellite re-entry. In addition to allowing a lower satellite altitude, the drag-free system also reduces the errors associated with the accelerometer. All simulated mission scenarios assume a two satellite co-orbiting pair similar to GRACE in a near-polar, near-circular orbit. A method for local time variable gravity recovery through mass concentration blocks (mascons) is used to form simulated gravity estimates for Greenland and the Amazon region for three GFO configurations and GRACE. Simulation results show that the increased precision of the laser does not improve gravity estimation when flown with on-board accelerometers at the same altitude and spacecraft separation as GRACE, even when time-varying background models are not included. This study also shows that only modest improvement is realized for the best-case scenario (laser, low-altitude, drag-free) as compared to GRACE due to temporal aliasing errors. These errors are caused by high-frequency variations in the hydrology signal and imperfections in the atmospheric, oceanographic, and tidal models which are used to remove unwanted signal. This work concludes that applying the updated technologies alone will not immediately advance the accuracy of the gravity estimates. If the scientific objectives of a GFO mission require more accurate gravity estimates, then future work should focus on improvements in the geophysical models, and ways in which the mission design or data processing could reduce the effects of temporal aliasing.     

Design considerations for a dedicated gravity recovery satellite mission consisting of two pairs of satellites

Future satellite missions dedicated to measuring time-variable gravity will need to address the concern of temporal aliasing errors; i.e., errors due to high-frequency mass variations. These errors have been shown to be a limiting error source for future missions with improved sensors. One method of reducing them is to fly multiple satellite pairs, thus increasing the sampling frequency of the mission. While one could imagine a system architecture consisting of dozens of satellite pairs, this paper explores the more economically feasible option of optimizing the orbits of two pairs of satellites. While the search space for this problem is infinite by nature, steps have been made to reduce it via proper assumptions regarding some parameters and a large number of numerical simulations exploring appropriate ranges for other parameters. A search space originally consisting of 15 variables is reduced to two variables with the utmost impact on mission performance: the repeat period of both pairs of satellites (shown to be near-optimal when they are equal to each other), as well as the inclination of one of the satellite pairs (the other pair is assumed to be in a polar orbit). To arrive at this conclusion, we assume circular orbits, repeat groundtracks for both pairs of satellites, a 100-km inter-satellite separation distance, and a minimum allowable operational satellite altitude of 290 km based on a projected 10-year mission lifetime. Given the scientific objectives of determining time-variable hydrology, ice mass variations, and ocean bottom pressure signals with higher spatial resolution, we find that an optimal architecture consists of a polar pair of satellites coupled with a pair inclined at 72°, both in 13-day repeating orbits. This architecture provides a 67% reduction in error over one pair of satellites, in addition to reducing the longitudinal striping to such a level that minimal post-processing is required, permitting a substantial increase in the spatial resolution of the gravity field products. It should be emphasized that given different sets of scientific objectives for the mission, or a different minimum allowable satellite altitude, different architectures might be selected.     

Effects of topographic–isostatic masses on gravitational functionals at the Earth’s surface and at airborne and satellite altitudes

Topographic–isostatic masses represent an important source of gravity field information, especially in the high-frequency band, even if the detailed mass-density distribution inside the topographic masses is unknown. If this information is used within a remove-restore procedure, then the instability problems in downward continuation of gravity observations from aircraft or satellite altitudes can be reduced. In this article, integral formulae are derived for determination of gravitational effects of topographic–isostatic masses on the first- and second-order derivatives of the gravitational potential for three topographic–isostatic models. The application of these formulas is useful for airborne gravimetry/gradiometry and satellite gravity gradiometry. The formulas are presented in spherical approximation by separating the 3D integration in an analytical integration in the radial direction and 2D integration over the mean sphere. Therefore, spherical volume elements can be considered as being approximated by mass-lines located at the centre of the discretization compartments (the mass of the tesseroid is condensed mathematically along its vertical axis). The errors of this approximation are investigated for the second-order derivatives of the topographic–isostatic gravitational potential in the vicinity of the Earth’s surface. The formulas are then applied to various scenarios of airborne gravimetry/gradiometry and satellite gradiometry. The components of the gravitational vector at aircraft altitudes of 4 and 10 km have been determined, as well as the gravitational tensor components at a satellite altitude of 250 km envisaged for the forthcoming GOCE (gravity field and steady-state ocean-circulation explorer) mission. The numerical computations are based on digital elevation models with a 5-arc-minute resolution for satellite gravity gradiometry and 1-arc-minute resolution for airborne gravity/gradiometry.     

星载原子干涉技术用于地球重力场测量及其精度评估

重力梯度卫星GOCE通过搭载静电式重力梯度仪,将全球静态重力场恢复至200阶以上。目前GOCE卫星已结束寿命,亟须发展下一代更高分辨率的卫星重力梯度测量来完善200~360阶的全球静态重力场模型。原子干涉型的重力梯度测量在空间微重力环境下可获得较长的干涉时间,因此具有很高的星载测量精度,是下一代卫星重力梯度测量的候选技术之一。本文针对未来更高分辨率全球重力场测量的科学需求,提出了一种适用于空间微重力环境下的原子干涉重力梯度测量方案,其梯度测量噪声可低至0.85mE/Hz1/2。文中对不同类型的卫星重力梯度测量方案进行了重力场反演精度的对比评估,仿真结果表明,相比于现有静电式卫星重力梯度测量,原子干涉型的卫星重力梯度测量有望将重力场的恢复阶数提升至252~290阶,对应的累积大地水准面误差7~8cm,累积重力异常误差3×10-5 m/s2。     

Improvement of the geoid in local areas by satellite-to-satellite tracking

Summary The concept of satellite-to-satellite tracking measuring the relative velocity of two orbiting satellites spaced some hundreds kilometers on a close orbit, provides now possibilities for the investigation of the Earth’s gravity field. In the paper only medium and short wave length effects affecting the measured relative velocity have been considered. Collocation is used in such an analysis of local geoid improvement, because this method allows to combine heterogeneous data in a consistent way. Covariance functions relevant for the particular case of a circular equatorial orbit are given. Two kinds of observation equations have been formulated. The choice of observation equation with regard to satellites configuration is discussed. It is found that it is sufficient to have a limited number of satellite-to-satellite observations in a 7^o×7^o area around the estimation point with distances between profiles of about 1^o.5 and between the two satellites forming the pair of 200+350 km; the altitude of satellite-to-satellite observations should be as low as possible. The accuracy of the geoid determination strongly depends on the degree and order of the reference field used. An accuracy of about ±1 m can be achieved with an assumed reference field of (40,40). The influence of measuring errors is discussed and it is shown that only satellite-to-satellite observations with accuracy better then 0.1 mm/sec will give an improvement of the geoid. Finally, some results on the combination of low-low satellite-to-satellite tracking and terrestrial gravity data are given. The proposed method seems to be especially interesting for unsurveyed areas. Furthermore, it has the practical advantage that only a local coverage data is needed.     

Improvement in global gravity field recovery using GFZ-1 satellite laser tracking data

The passive satellite GFZ-1 has been orbiting the Earth since April 1995. The purpose of this mission is to improve the current knowledge of the Earth's gravity field by analysing gravitational orbit perturbations observed at unique low altitudes, below 400 km. GFZ-1 is one target of the international satellite laser ranging ground network. An evaluation of the first 30 months of GFZ-1 laser tracking data led to a new version of the global GRIM4-S4 satellite-only gravity field model: GRIM4-S4G. Information was obtained from GFZ-1 data for spherical harmonic coefficients up to degree 100, which was not possible in any earlier satellite-only gravity field solution. GFZ-1's contribution to a global 5 × 5° geoid and gravity field representations is moderate but visible with a 1 cm and 0.1 mGal gain in accuracy on a level of 75 cm and 5 mGal, respectively. Received: 10 November 1998 / Accepted: 19 April 1999     

Applications of an orbiting gravity gradiometer

Considering present attempts to develop a gradiometer with an accuracy between 10⁻³ E and 10⁻⁴ E, two applications for such a device have been studied: (a) mapping the gravitational field of the Earth, and (b) estimating the geocentric distance of a satellite carrying the instrument. Given a certain power spectrum for the signal and 10⁻⁴ E (rms) of white measurement noise, the results of an error analysis indicate that a six-month mission in polar orbit at a height of 200 km, with samples taken every three seconds, should provide data for estimating the spherical harmonic potential coefficients up to degree and order 300 with less than 50% error, and improve the coefficients through degree 30 by up to four orders of magnitude compared to existing models. A simulation study based on numerical orbit integrations suggests that a simple adjustment of the initial conditions based on gradiometer data could produce orbits where the geocentric distance is accurate to 10 cm or better, provided the orbits are 2000 km high and some improvement in the gravity field up to degree 30 is first achieved. In this sense, the gravity-mapping capability of the gradiometer complements its use in orbit refinement. This idea can be of use in determining orbits for satellite altimetry. Furthermore, by tracking the gradiometer-carrying spacecraft when it passes nearly above a terrestrial station, the geocentric distance of this station can also be estimated to about one decimeter accuracy. This principle could be used in combination with VLBI and other modern methods to set up a world-wide 3-D network of high accuracy.     

低轨道卫星重复周期的设计方法及其对重力场反演的影响

研究低轨卫星重复周期的设计原理,给出相应的计算公式。基于此对不同轨道高度卫星的重复周期进行数值仿真,并利用动力学方法分析不同重复周期轨道星下点轨迹的空间采样对重力场反演精度的影响。结果表明,卫星的重复周期与其轨道高度的变化并不成线性关系,并且在顾及重力场时间分辨率的情况下,长重复周期能够提高卫星地面轨迹的空间采样,为重力场解算提供较好的条件。     

Lunar gravity field determination using SELENE same-beam differential VLBI tracking data

A lunar gravity field model up to degree and order 100 in spherical harmonics, named SGM100i, has been determined from SELENE and historical tracking data, with an emphasis on using same-beam S-band differential VLBI data obtained in the SELENE mission between January 2008 and February 2009. Orbit consistency throughout the entire mission period of SELENE as determined from orbit overlaps for the two sub-satellites of SELENE involved in the VLBI tracking improved consistently from several hundreds of metres to several tens of metres by including differential VLBI data. Through orbits that are better determined, the gravity field model is also improved by including these data. Orbit determination performance for the new model shows improvements over earlier 100th degree and order models, especially for edge-on orbits over the deep far side. Lunar Prospector orbit determination shows an improvement of orbit consistency from 1-day predictions for 2-day arcs of 6 m in a total sense, with most improvement in the along and cross-track directions. Data fit for the types and satellites involved is also improved. Formal errors for the lower degrees are smaller, and the new model also shows increased correlations with topography over the far side. The estimated value for the lunar GM for this model equals 4902.80080±0.0009 km³/s² (10 sigma). The lunar degree 2 potential Love number k ₂ was also estimated, and has a value of 0.0255 ± 0.0016 (10 sigma as well).     

利用卫星重力梯度与地面数据确定地球重力场的分析

本文利用简捷的球谐分析方法讨论了重力场元在地面和空间的谱分布特征和向下延拓问题,分析了各类测量数据求定重力场的最高分辨率及精度。结果表明,在一个低轨道卫星上以适当的精度(优于10~(-2)E)的重力梯度测量可以获得空间分辨率为100公里、精度高于5mgal和10cm的重力场和大地水准面。     

Orbit determination of the SELENE satellites using multi-satellite data types and evaluation of SELENE gravity field models

The SELENE mission, consisting of three separate satellites that use different terrestrial-based tracking systems, presents a unique opportunity to evaluate the contribution of these tracking systems to orbit determination precision. The tracking data consist of four-way Doppler between the main orbiter and one of the two sub-satellites while the former is over the far side, and of same-beam differential VLBI tracking between the two sub-satellites. Laser altimeter data are also used for orbit determination. The contribution to orbit precision of these different data types is investigated through orbit overlap analysis. It is shown that using four-way and VLBI data improves orbit consistency for all satellites involved by reducing peak values in orbit overlap differences that exist when only standard two-way Doppler and range data are used. Including laser altimeter data improves the orbit precision of the SELENE main satellite further, resulting in very smooth total orbit errors at an average level of 18 m. The multi-satellite data have also resulted in improved lunar gravity field models, which are assessed through orbit overlap analysis using Lunar Prospector tracking data. Improvements over a pre-SELENE model are shown to be mostly in the along-track and cross-track directions. Orbit overlap differences are at a level between 13 and 21 m with the SELENE models, depending on whether 1-day data overlaps or 1-day predictions are used.     

月球重力场模型GL0660B特征分析及其对绕月卫星轨道的影响

月球重力场可用来研究月球演化过程和内部结构,是影响绕月卫星精密定轨的重要因素。基于GRAIL任务数据解算的GL0660B重力场模型,极大提高了月球重力场空间频谱信号的强度和范围。本文首先通过计算相应重力场的阶方差和地形相关性分析,对GL0660B模型进行了精度分析;其次,利用GL0660B模型和其他几个月球重力场模型进行比较,对月球重力场的特征进行了分析;然后通过绘制GL0660B模型和LP150Q模型在月球外部不同高度处的重力异常图,分析比较了月球重力场模型在不同高度上所反映的月球重力场的特征和差异;最后,利用GEODYN软件模拟计算了不同高度卫星的轨道变化。可以看出绕月卫星离心率随时间的变化,以及周期性变化趋势,而且不同高度卫星轨道处质量瘤的摄动影响不同,远月点、近月点和偏心率的变化也存在差异。     

Calibration of satellite gradiometer data aided by ground gravity data

Parametric least squares collocation was used in order to study the detection of systematic errors of satellite gradiometer data. For this purpose, simulated data sets with a priori known systematic errors were produced using ground gravity data in the very smooth gravity field of the Canadian plains. Experiments carried out at different satellite altitudes showed that the recovery of bias parameters from the gradiometer “measurements” is possible with high accuracy, especially in the case of crossing tracks. The mean value of the differences (original minus estimated bias parameters) was relatively large compared to the standard deviation of the corresponding second-order derivative component at the corresponding height. This mean value almost vanished when gravity data at ground level were combined with the second-order derivative data set at satellite altitude. In the case of simultaneous estimation of bias and tilt parameters from ∂² T/∂z ²“measurements”, the recovery of both parameters agreed very well with the collocation error estimation. Received: 10 October 1996 / Accepted 25 May 1998     

重力异常阶方差模型精度及其截断误差分析

在评估重力场模型计算空间扰动引力精度时,对模型截断误差常采用阶方差方法。文中将6种经典的重力异常阶方差模型与现有超高阶重力场模型的阶方差进行比较,TSD模型与重力场模型的差值最小。根据重力异常阶方差模型TSD,文中分析不同高度、不同阶次利用重力场模型计算空中扰动引力时截断误差的影响。实验结果表明:36阶模型截断误差最大径向和水平方向分别为26.455 1mGal、25.946 3mGal;360阶模型截断误差最大径向和水平方向分别为9.969 0mGal、9.960 9 mGal;2160阶模型截断误差最大径向和水平方向分别为2.538 5 mGal、2.538 1mGal;2160阶模型计算空中扰动引力时,即使在低空附近,截断误差在2.5mGal以内,计算高度超过5km,截断误差可以忽略;超过400km的高度,都可以用36阶模型计算,截断误差在1mGal以内。     

重力卫星主要有效载荷指标分析与确定

在介绍重力卫星发展计划的基础上 ,研究讨论了重力卫星上的主要有效载荷。从重力测量的基本原理出发 ,推导了卫星轨道高度、有效荷载的精度需求、所能恢复的重力场最大空间分辨率和相应重力场参数精度之间粗略的函数关系。最后利用推导的公式计算了CHAMP、GRACE、GOCE卫星上几种主要测量有效载荷的指标 ,并将推得的指标与CHAMP、GRACE、GOCE卫星设计的指标进行了比较 ,得出了两种指标在量级上一致的结论。     

A catalog of station coordinates for GEOS-C orbit determination

Center-of-mass coordinates for 57 tracking sites participating in the GEOS-C mission are given in a unified system having a common origin and scale. The positions were obtained either directly from analyses of satellite observations or from survey ties to colocated sites with coordinates previously determined by various investigators from optical, laser of doppler data. The uncertainty of the positions in nearly all cases is 5 m in each coordinate. Data reductions show that station coordinates of this quality introduce a rapidly changing error into the altitude of a satellite unless global tracking constrains the orbit.     

卫星跟踪卫星技术的进展及应用前景

卫星跟踪卫星技术被认为是 2 1世纪初最有价值和应用前景的高效重力探测技术 ,旨在测定中长波重力场的精细结构及时间相依变化。本文首先简要阐述卫星跟踪卫星技术的发展背景及概况 ,其次介绍目前已经实施和将要实施的卫星跟踪卫星计划 CHAMP和 GRACE的进展情况 ,最后讨论该技术在精化地球重力场和研究相关地学问题中的应用前景。