The gravity field of the earth and other solar system bodies
Georges Balmino(CNES ,Toulouse)
Tuesday March 9, 11.00 a.m. CERFACS Conference Room
Abstract :The gravity field of a celestial body is one of the most important pieces of information on its internal structure as it brings constraints on its lateral density variations, on models of their origin and on the thermal history of the body (also in consideration of its topography and observed geological features). In the case of the Earth, the role of the gravity field is certainly complemented, or even superseded by the seismic information ; also the gravity field knowledge results in many applications such as in artificial satellite navigation, in space oceanography, in linking height reference systems, etc...
The seminar will review the main properties of the gravitational field and of its most common representation in spherical harmonics, the representation of other functionals which can be measured in space or/and at the surface of a body, the analysis of satellite orbit perturbations and the means of determination of global models for the Earth and other bodies. Present models and dedicated terrestrial missions to be flown in the near future will be described. Major results on solar system bodies (Moon, Venus, Mars, Jovian satellites,...) as coming from past, recent and on-going missions will be reviewed.
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