Session Descriptions
Some sessions may be combined together in the final program, depending on the number of abstracts submitted.
General Contributions
All submissions relative to gravity and the gravity field are welcome, and will be placed in the most
appropriate session. We seek contributions for the following sessions, as well as general gravity
field related talks.
GOCE and GRACE . Latest results
The GRACE mission continues now since 8 years to produce important new data to constrain the static
gravity field and its time variations. With GOCE now successfully in orbit, new high resolution
fields will significantly improve the static gravity field, and enhance use of gravity field in
other sciences such as oceanography. This session invites papers on the latest results, including
technical contributions on improved data processing methods, high-resolution combination models,
and future outlook for satellite gravity.
Arctic Gravity and Geophysics
The retreating ice pack has opened the Arctic Ocean to exploration. New acquisition of geophysical
data across the Arctic has been driven by the need to document the Extended Continental Shelves
of the arctic coastal states, geodetic needs of the arctic nations, exploration for oil and gas
and scientific exploration of critical regions. Gravity is an essential part of these data, and
give new insights into the history and structure of the high latitude continents and ocean.
Alaskan Geoid
The geoid has been poorly determined over much of Alaska, due mainly to poor data coverage.
However, this situation is changing fast with the new National Geodetic Survey.s GRAV-D airborne
gravity surveys. This session focuses on progress in geoid determination in Alaska, including
the status of data acquisition and processing, data compatibility problems caused by the rapid
gravity and geoid changes in Alaska due to tectonics and melting of glaciers, and applications
using the precise geoid.
Satellite ice altimetry
Direct measurements of sea ice thickness and ice sheet height changes by altimetry are made
globally by satellite, and regionally by aircraft-based altimeters. These data provide the
ground truth for estimates of cryosphere changes based on other techniques, and thus have a
unique importance. The session seek contributions related to global or regional studies,
synergy of geoid use, gravity from satellite altimetry in ice-covered oceans, and applications
of such data.
Satellite time-varying gravity fields for hydrology and glaciology
This season seeks application presentation of earth.s gravity field variations with season and
secular changes, caused by variations in the hydrosphere and cryosphere. Satellite time-varying
gravity fields are of critical importance in understanding both large-scale water cycle variations
as well as cryospheric changes due to climate change and glacier dynamics. Papers on interdisciplinary
projects utilizing gravity change from satellites and terrestrial measurements are particularly welcome.
Gravity changes, GPS and post glacial rebound modeling
Post-glacial rebound or glacial isostatic adjustment causes significant changes in both gravity
and height. Gravity changes, GPS height changes, and the combination of the two measurements are
required to constrain models, which provide new insights into both past ice load changes and the
viscoelastic response of the Earth. Alaska, Patagonia and parts of Greenland features uplift
rates in excess of 30 mm/yr due to ice mass loss, meaning gravity changes even on yearly spans
are well within current measurement capabilities. We invite presentations on both regional and
global modeling, field projects and results.
Precise geoid determination - the challenge of the cm-geoid
With the static gravity field determined by satellite missions at mm-level for longer wavelengths,
the cm-level geoid should be achievable in many regions of the earth with good terrestrial or
airborne gravity data coverage. We seek presentations on precise geoid determination, regional
projects, and the theoretical modeling improvements needed to attain a 1 cm geoid.
Global vertical datum - implementation, conventions and case studies
A unified global vertical datum is now within reach due to the development of global gravity
field modeling, allowing the unification of continental height networks around the world. In
addition to the technical and political data release challenges, the earth.s gravity field is
continuously changing and sea level rising, adding significant complications to the datum
definition. We invite presentations related to implementation, conventions and case studies
related to the definition and adoption of a global vertical datum.
New instrumentation and results for absolute, superconducting and airborne gravimetry
The instrumentation and techniques for the precise measurement of gravity are constantly evolving,
and precise measurements are made in more and more places in coordinated networks. This session
solicits presentations both on instrumentation and new results in superconducting and absolute
gravimetry, and the efforts of global coordination activities (GGP and absolute gravity networks).
Forward Gravity Modeling in the Era of High-Resolution Earth Gravity Models
High-resolution forward gravity modeling from earth density models is a useful tool in gravity
field modeling. This session invites contributions dealing with theoretical and practical
aspects of forward gravity modeling techniques aiming to model or recover the high-resolution
content of the Earth's gravity field. This includes derivation and analysis of the Earth
gravity field on a local, regional and local scales, review of gravity modeling techniques,
construction and evaluation of high-resolution synthetic Earth gravity models.
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