A brief introduction about promoting geo-gravity survey and satellite geo-gravity in ChinaYe S.H. (1), Ping J.S. (1), Hu X.G. (1), Shen X.H. (2), Li H. (3)，Wang J.S. (4), Wu Y. (3), and Others (5) Satellite geodetic and remote sensing techniques have been routinely used and play important roles in weather forecasting, surveying resources and monitoring/mitigating natural hazards in China. These satellites include meteorological satellites, the oceanographic satellite (HY-2) and another geodetic satellite, which are scheduled to launch in 2010. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in potential future collaborations with other agencies, has identified a wide range of scientific rationales and applications within China and globally which requires a long range planning of satellite geodetic and remote-sensing missions, including satellite gravity missions. One such program is China’s Geo-Hazards Monitoring Program. Under the framework of this Program, the planned satellite missions include the electromagnetic satellite mission to monitor space weather, to study co-/post-seismic earthquake signals, and to explore the feasibility of the potential detectability of earthquake pre-cursor signals; as well as a near-infrared remote sensing satellite for geo-hazard imaging. A GRACE-type satellite gravity mission with enhanced accuracy and spatial resolution directly addresses some of the objectives of the Geo-Hazards Monitoring Program. The overall identified scientific rationale for a long-term plan for gravity mapping satellite missions include, but not limited to, the efficiency, accuracy and potential timeliness from such global gravity field mapping satellites, the monitoring and potential mitigations of geo- and environmental hazards, the accurate observables enabling monitoring and quantification of anthropogenic climate change, water balance budget and water resource availability, especially within China. This presentation include the articulation of scientific interest within the Chinese scientific and other community to take part or to undertake GRACE-type satellite gravity field mission, and a first-cut plan for a possible roadmap and mechanism to support the realization of a GRACE Stop-Gap mission in the appropriate time frame to minimize data loss between GRACE and GRACE follow-on missions. The plan includes the following up of the Workshop Roadmap to discuss with international partners including the US, Germany, France and others to potentially realize a GRACE Stop-Gap mission or a GRACE Stop-Gap constellation mission, on: (1) a possible offer of a couple of 10–12 m radio tracking ground support system for the GRACE Stop-Gap mission(s), (2) the possibility of launch support of the GRACE Stop-Gap satellites, and (3) the feasibility of more than one pair of enhanced GRACE-type satellites with distinct inclinations and at lower altitudes. The ongoing discussion of formal collaborative agreement between Chinese Academy of Sciences and NASA on specific cooperation on space geodetic infrastructures and satellite missions should help the possibility of a potential collaboration of GRACE Stop-Gap satellite mission. The planned GRACE laser interferometric tracking instrument development (talk by Professor Lau in this Session, Project Leader: Professor Hu, Institute of Mechanics, CAS) will be part of the long-range plan to develop satellite gravity missions. |