Comparing GRACE-FO KBR and LRI Ranging Data with Focus on Carrier Frequency Variations

authored by: Vitali Müller, Markus Hauk, Malte Misfeldt, Laura Müller, Henry Wegener, Yihao Yan, Gerhard Heinzel
Abstract: The GRACE Follow-On satellite mission measures distance variations between its two satellites in order to derive monthly gravity field maps, indicating mass variability on Earth on a scale of a few 100 km originating from hydrology, seismology, climatology and other sources. This mission hosts two ranging instruments, a conventional microwave system based on K(a)-band ranging (KBR) and a novel laser ranging instrument (LRI), both relying on interferometric phase readout. In this paper, we show how the phase measurements can be converted into range data using a time-dependent carrier frequency (or wavelength) that takes into account potential intraday variability in the microwave or laser frequency. Moreover, we analyze the KBR-LRI residuals and discuss which error and noise contributors limit the residuals at high and low Fourier frequencies. It turns out that the agreement between KBR and LRI biased range observations can be slightly improved by considering intraday carrier frequency variations in the processing. Although the effect is probably small enough to have little relevance for gravity field determination at the current precision level, this analysis is of relevance for detailed instrument characterization and potentially for future more precise missions.
Organisation(s): Institute of Gravitation Physics
QuantumFrontiers
PhoenixD: Photonics, Optics, and Engineering - Innovation Across Disciplines
CRC 1464: Relativistic and Quantum-Based Geodesy (TerraQ)
External Organisation(s): Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
DLR-Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing
Type: Article
Journal: Remote sensing
Volume: 14
Pages: 4335
ISSN: 2072-4292
Publication date: 01.09.2022
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14174335 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{57ff1a85eae949bd9c10c4fa862c3119,
title = "Comparing GRACE-FO KBR and LRI Ranging Data with Focus on Carrier Frequency Variations",
abstract = "The GRACE Follow-On satellite mission measures distance variations between its two satellites in order to derive monthly gravity field maps, indicating mass variability on Earth on a scale of a few 100 km originating from hydrology, seismology, climatology and other sources. This mission hosts two ranging instruments, a conventional microwave system based on K(a)-band ranging (KBR) and a novel laser ranging instrument (LRI), both relying on interferometric phase readout. In this paper, we show how the phase measurements can be converted into range data using a time-dependent carrier frequency (or wavelength) that takes into account potential intraday variability in the microwave or laser frequency. Moreover, we analyze the KBR-LRI residuals and discuss which error and noise contributors limit the residuals at high and low Fourier frequencies. It turns out that the agreement between KBR and LRI biased range observations can be slightly improved by considering intraday carrier frequency variations in the processing. Although the effect is probably small enough to have little relevance for gravity field determination at the current precision level, this analysis is of relevance for detailed instrument characterization and potentially for future more precise missions.",
keywords = "GRACE Follow-On, instrumentation, laser ranging, microwave ranging",
author = "Vitali M{\"u}ller and Markus Hauk and Malte Misfeldt and Laura M{\"u}ller and Henry Wegener and Yihao Yan and Gerhard Heinzel",
note = "Funding information: This work and some authors have been supported by: The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation, Project-ID 434617780, SFB 1464). Clusters of Excellence “QuantumFrontiers: Light and Matter at the Quantum Frontier: Foundations and Applications in Metrology” (EXC-2123, project number: 390837967); the European Space Agency in the framework of Next Generation Gravity Mission development and ESA{\textquoteright}s third-party mission support for GRACE-FO; the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Max Planck Society (MPG) in the framework of the LEGACY cooperation on low-frequency gravitational-wave astronomy (M.IF.A.QOP18098) and Bundesministerium f{\"u}r Bildung und Forschung (BMBF, project number: 03F0654B).",
year = "2022",
month = sep,
day = "1",
doi = "10.3390/rs14174335",
language = "English",
volume = "14",
pages = "4335",
journal = "Remote sensing",
issn = "2072-4292",
publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute",
number = "17",
}