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GRACE Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment

GRACE Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment. Matt Malina 8/2/07. GRACE. Launched March, 2002 2 twin satellites that measure the earth’s gravitational field. How does it work?. 2 twin satellites fly one in front of the other

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GRACE Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment

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  1. GRACEGravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Matt Malina 8/2/07

  2. GRACE • Launched March, 2002 • 2 twin satellites that measure the earth’s gravitational field

  3. How does it work? • 2 twin satellites fly one in front of the other • The lead one is deflected when itgoes over an area of the earth with a different gravity field. • GRACE 1 & 2 can detect a change in distance between them up to 1 micron! • They circle the earth 16 times per day • Complete a full map of the earth’s gravity once per month.

  4. What areas of research does it help? • Oceanography • Climate change • Hydrology

  5. Gravity

  6. Oceanography GRACE Direct observation Other satellite

  7. Climate change • The Greenland ice sheet has been losing mass due to global warming

  8. Climate Change cont’d • Similar effects have been measured in Antarctica • It is estimated such melting has lead to 0.4 mm/yr 0.2 in sea level rise

  9. Hydrology • GRACE can also detect if aquifers are filling or being depleted • This is important because…

  10. Hydrology cont’d • In Western Asia it is estimated that an underwater aquifer near Uzbekistan is filling at a rate of 25 km3 of water per year. • Most of this water is water that was intended for irrigation but seeped into the soil.

  11. The end

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