GRACE-FO LRI1B SYSU Dataset

The GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and its successor, GRACE-FO (GRACE Follow-On), provide crucial data for global static and time-variable gravity field recovery. In particular, the Laser Ranging Interferometer(LRI) instrument on GRACE-FO provide the first laser interferometric range measurements between remote satellites, with the noise level reaching 300pm/√Hz@1Hz, creating new opportunities for high-precision geophysical applications.

The Geodesy and Navigation Team at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), in collaboration with Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology(AMP), and other partners developed an independently produced GRACE-FO LRI1B data product (SYSU LRI1B S10). We applied meticulous processing in time-tags correction, phase anomaly processing, and scale factor estimation to minimize the impact of outliers such as time-tags anomalies and phase anomalies on the LRI1B data. The precision of LRI1B S10 reaches 1nm/s/√Hz@0.1Hz, which is superior to Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) LRI1B RL04 product (~5nm/s/√Hz@0.1Hz), and comparable to similar products developed by Albert Einstein Institute (AEI). Gravity field recovery results based on LRI1B S10 show that its degree variance beyond degree 30 is better than LRI1B RL04, with better consistency with AEI's results. This data product provides a crucial basis for future GRACE-like gravity satellite missions (e.g., TianQin 2), supporting advancements in data processing, gravity field recovery, and surface mass migration research.

 This dataset covers the entire period of LRI measurements on the GRACE-FO mission from June 2018 to July 2023. It can be directly used for gravity field recovery, mascon solutions, and other scientific applications. Future processed LRI1B data from GRACE-FO will continue to be released.

YIN H, et al. 2024. Raw data processing of laser ranging interferometer based on GRACE-FO gravity satellite[J]. Chinese Journal of Geophysics. doi: 10.6038/cjg2024R0814