Precise observations of mass distribution and mass transport in the Earth system are important for various current research questions in hydrology, oceanography, glaciology, geophysics and climate research. This information comes primarily from satellite missions such as GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and GRACE-FO (Follow-on), which measure the Earth's gravity field and its temporal variations. Since May 2019, the Research Unit "New Refined Observations of Climate Change from Spaceborne Gravity Missions (NEROGRAV)" funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) has been developing new analysis methods and modeling approaches to improve scientific products of the missions in order to allow for new geophysical applications that benefit in particular from significantly reduced errors in monthly gravity field time series. Phase 1 of the Research Unit lasted from May 2019 to the end of the year 2022. After a successful evaluation in January 2022, the second phase will start in January 2023.

Section 1.3 contributes to NEROGRAV by means of two subprojects for the generation of improved background models for both oceanic tides and the transient variability in atmosphere and ocean. In the second phase, the improved gravity field data will be additionally examined for signals of the thermohaline overturning circulation in the North Atlantic.

Funding Agency: German Research Foundation (DFG)

Duration: 01.05.2019 until 31.12.2025

Website: https://www.asg.ed.tum.de/iapg/nerograv/