Method and apparatus for obtaining the fine scale structure of the earth{3 s gravity field

摘要

The subject invention relates to a system useful in measuring the fine scale gravitational field of the earth. The system utilizes two closely-spaced earth orbiting satellites employing radar altimeters, and having the same orbit. As they traverse their orbit the earth is also spinning thereby allowing the satellite pair to "see" a strip of the earth's surface and to accurately measure the cross-orbit component of the deflection of the vertical (the local gravitational force vector). The relative positions of the two satellites must be accurately known, but, to obtain the fine scale measurement, the absolute position of neither satellite need be accurately known.