https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-025-00338-1
Research
Quantum gravity gradiometry for future mass change science
1
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 91109, Pasadena, CA, USA
2
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 20771, Greenbelt, MD, USA
3
Center for Space Research, University of Texas at Austin, 78759, Austin, TX, USA
4
Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, 82024, Taufkirchen, Germany
5
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute for Satellite Geodesy and Inertial Sensing, 30167, Hannover, Germany
6
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut gGmbH, 12489, Berlin, Germany
7
Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, 88090, Immenstaad am Bodensee, Germany
a
sheng-wey.chiow@jpl.nasa.gov
Received:
26
September
2024
Accepted:
5
March
2025
Published online:
14
March
2025
A quantum gravity gradiometer in a low Earth orbit, operating in a cross-track configuration, could be a viable single-spacecraft measurement instrument to provide mass change data for Earth observation, at comparable or better resolutions to existing maps generated by GRACE-FO. To reach the sensitivity for these science-grade measurements, many parts of the cold-atom interferometer need to be operating at, or beyond, state-of-the-art performance. In order to raise the maturity of the technology of the cold-atom gradiometer and determine the feasibility of a science-grade instrument, a pathfinder technology demonstration platform is funded. The requirements and a notional design for such a pathfinder and the outstanding challenges for science-grade instruments are presented.
Key words: Quantum sensing / Gravity / Geodesy / Quantum gravity gradiometer / Atom interferometry
© The Author(s) 2025
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