Approach on Satellite Gravity Gradiometry and its Vistas of Applications

Abstract

Satellite gravity gradiometry and its instrumentation is an ultra-sensitive detection technique of space gravity gradient being developed internationally now. Gravity gradiometry will be of great use for detecting the short wave component of the earth’s gravity gradient field. In this paper the necessity and possibility of carrying out the satellite gravity gradiometry and developing the ultra-sensitive gradiometer are discussed with regard to the theoretical characteristics of gravity gradiometry, very high sensitivity of tensor gradiometer, accurate geophysical interpretation and the vast vistas for applications. This paper demonstrates systematically the problems of refinement of the earth’s gravity field model, and deals with the great significance of gravity gradiometry in inertial navigation, gravity survey, geodynamics and earthquake prediction research. In the meantime, it expounds its importance in monitoring the microgravity environment, examining the gravity field continuation theory, improving the analyses subjected orbital vehicle to gravitational force and exactly testing the law of gravity.