Mon Dec 15, F. Flechtner
• Sorted by Date • Sorted by Last Name of First Author •
Zhang, Chaoyang, Encarnação, João, Dias, Rosana A., Hormigo, Tiago, Garcia, Ines S., Alves, Filipe S., and Tapley, Byron, 2025. MEMS accelerometer for satellite gravimetry. Advances in Space Research, 76(10):5797–5813, doi:10.1016/j.asr.2025.09.009.
• from the NASA Astrophysics Data System • by the DOI System •
@ARTICLE{2025AdSpR..76.5797Z,
author = {{Zhang}, Chaoyang and {Encarna{\c{c}}{\~a}o}, Jo{\~a}o and {Dias}, Rosana A. and {Hormigo}, Tiago and {Garcia}, Ines S. and {Alves}, Filipe S. and {Tapley}, Byron},
title = "{MEMS accelerometer for satellite gravimetry}",
journal = {Advances in Space Research},
keywords = {MEMS accelerometer, Temporal gravity, Non-conservative force, Satellite gravimetry, CubeSat},
year = 2025,
month = nov,
volume = {76},
number = {10},
pages = {5797-5813},
abstract = "{Estimates of Earth's gravity temporal variations by
GRACE({\ensuremath{-}}FO) have catalyzed a wide range of
scientific studies and discoveries. Although an increase in the
satellite pairs would reduce the error and increase the temporal
and spatial resolution, mission costs limit populating
additional GRACE-like pairs. One viable solution is to reduce
costs by miniaturizing the satellite. As a first step in
reaching this objective, the Miniaturized Prototype for GRavity
field Assessment using Distributed Earth-orbiting assets
(uPGRADE) project aims to produce a CHAMP-like prototype
gravimetry satellite that includes star trackers, GNSS and
accelerometers in CubeSat size. As one of the primary payloads,
the utility of high-precision Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
(MEMS) accelerometer for gravimetric mission has not been
considered. Here, we evaluated three, six and nine MEMS
arrangements. We found that the six MEMS parallel arrangement
can observe both the desired non-gravitational accelerations and
additional absolute value of the angular velocity. We developed
a measurement error model, associated with MEMS position and
orientation errors, to guide the MEMS optimal design and
assembly. Finally, we conducted uPGRADE mission simulations
using appropriate observations and model errors. The impact of a
10 nm/s$^{2}$ MEMS accelerometer error on gravity recovery is
very close to that of the 5 mm GNSS error. However, the
accelerometer error degrades the low-degree coefficients more
significantly, particularly <mml:math><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:m
i>C</mml:mi><mml:mn>20</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>
and <mml:math><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>C</mml:mi><mml:mn>30</
mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>. The simulations
indicate that the temporal gravity can be estimated up to degree
15, albeit with some compromise in the low-degree coefficients.
Recommendations are made to lower the projected noise floor of
MEMS accelerometer to enhance the low-degree coefficients
accuracy.}",
doi = {10.1016/j.asr.2025.09.009},
adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025AdSpR..76.5797Z},
adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System}
}
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