A high-quality global gravity field model from CHAMP GPS tracking data and accelerometry (EIGEN-1S) -: art. no. 1692

[1] Using three months of GPS satellite-to-satellite tracking and accelerometer data of the CHAMP satellite mission, a new long-wavelength global gravity field model, called EIGEN-1S, has been prepared in a joint German-French effort. The solution is derived solely from analysis of satellite orbit perturbations, i.e. independent of oceanic and continental surface gravity data. EIGEN-1S results in a geoid with an approximation error of about 20 cm in terms of 5 x 5 degree block mean values, which is an improvement of more than a factor of 2 compared to pre-CHAMP satellite-only gravity field models. This impressive progress is a result of CHAMP's tailored orbit characteristics and dedicated instrumentation, providing continuous tracking and direct on-orbit measurements of non-gravitational satellite accelerations.