An improved sampling rule for mapping geopotential functions of a planet from a near polar orbit

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  • University of Stuttgart
  • Delft University of Technology
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Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)127-142
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of geodesy
Volume87
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2013

Abstract

One of the limiting factors in the determination of gravity field solutions is the spatial sampling. Especially during phases, when the satellite repeats its own track after a short time, the spatial resolution will be limited. The Nyquist rule-of-thumb for mapping geopotential functions of a planet, also referred to as the Colombo-Nyquist rule-of-thumb, provides a limit for the maximum achievable degree of a spherical harmonic development for repeat orbits. We show in this paper that this rule is too conservative, and solutions with better spatial resolutions are possible. A new rule is introduced which limits the maximum achievable order (not degree!) to be smaller than the number of revolutions if the difference between the number of revolutions and the number of nodal days is of odd parity and to be smaller than half the number of revolutions if the difference is of even parity. The dependence on the parity is reflected in the eigenvalue spectrum of the normal matrix and becomes especially important in the presence of noise. The rule is based on applying the Nyquist sampling theorem separately in North-South and East-West direction. This is only possible for satellites in highly inclined orbits like champ and grace. Tables for these two satellite missions are also provided which indicate the passed and (in case of grace) expected repeat cycles and possible degradations in the quality of the gravity field solutions.

Keywords

    champ, grace, Nyquist rule-of-thumb, Space-borne gravimetry, Spatial sampling

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An improved sampling rule for mapping geopotential functions of a planet from a near polar orbit. / Weigelt, Matthias; Sneeuw, Nico; Schrama, E. J.O. et al.
In: Journal of geodesy, Vol. 87, No. 2, 02.2013, p. 127-142.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Weigelt M, Sneeuw N, Schrama EJO, Visser PNAM. An improved sampling rule for mapping geopotential functions of a planet from a near polar orbit. Journal of geodesy. 2013 Feb;87(2):127-142. doi: 10.1007/s00190-012-0585-0
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