31 July 2007
Credits: ESA/AOES Medialab
In Spring 2008, the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch a mission dedicated to measuring Earth’s gravity field and modeling the geoid with extremely high accuracy and spatial resolution. The Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) is the first Earth Explorer Core mission to be developed as part of ESA’s Living Planet Program.
The geoid, which is defined by the Earth’s gravity field, is a surface of equal gravitational potential. It follows a hypothetical ocean surface at rest, with no tides or currents. A precise model of the geoid is essential for obtaining accurate data of phenomena influenced by climate change, such as ocean circulation, sea-level change and terrestrial ice dynamics.
The geoid is also a reference surface for mapping the topography of our planet. Improving our knowledge of Earth's gravity field will contribute to a better understanding of the Earth’s interior.
Further Reading
GOCE Mission
http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/GO-RS-ESA-SY-0001.PDF
ESA
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html
Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem
Senior Astronomy Specialist