LOTSE-CHAMP/GRACE: An Interdisciplinary Research Project for Earth Observation from Space

Abstract

The research project LOTSE-CHAMP/GRACE (Long time series of consistently reprocessed high-accuracy CHAMP/GRACE data products) has the overall goal to reprocess all CHAMP and GRACE gravity, magnetic and atmospheric mission data. The reprocessing will provide a 10 years long, consistent and high-quality time series of (a) static and time variable gravity field models describing the mass distribution and mass variation in the system Earth, (b) atmospheric parameters such as mean global temperatures or tropopause altitudes and (c) the state and change in the Earth’s outer core and lithospheric magnetic field during the CHAMP (2000–2010) and/or GRACE (since 2002) mission life time. These consistent data sets are used by the national and international user community as a valuable and complementary source of information for global change analysis such as monitoring of the continental hydrological cycle, polar ice mass loss, sea level change or monitoring of global temperature variations, as well as for geological and tectonic studies.