EGU 2026: Session on “Modern Concepts for Ground and Space Observations of the Earth Gravity Field”
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Marvin Reich
Dec 16, 2025, 4:46:27 PM (3 days ago) Dec 16
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Dear colleagues,
I would like to draw your attention to next years EGU session G4.1 entitled “Modern Concepts for Ground and Space Observations of the Earth Gravity Field”, held in the framework of the Geodesy program group.
The session aims at bringing together experts in different observation methods for the Earth gravity field. All methods serving this purpose from gravimeters, gradiometers, clocks to laser interferometry are welcome to contribute. We strive to have an interdisciplinary mix of topics for discussing the state of the art and the opportunities offered by recent developments in instrumentation and methodology, including quantum sensors, novel concepts for measurement techniques and setups as well as the application oriented perspective (e.g. in hydrology, volcanology, resource exploitation).
Abstract submission deadline is January 15th (13:00 CET)!
We would like to encourage you to consider submitting a contribution to our session, if you have been working on related topics. Please feel free to forward this announcement in your community or to who you think might be interested. We are sorry for any cross-posting!
Please, find further information about the session and abstract submission here:
https://www.egu26.eu/session/58098
The description of the session is reported below.
Looking forward to your submissions and an interesting meeting at Vienna (or online) in May!
Marvin Reich and all co-conveners
G4.1 - Modern Concepts for Ground and Space Observations of the Earth Gravity Field
Convener: Marvin Reich, Co-conveners: Tanja Mehlstäubler, Sébastien Merlet
Recent developments in different fields have enabled new applications and concepts in the space- and ground-based observation of the Earth’s gravity field. In this session, we discuss the benefit of new sensors and techniques and their ability to provide precise and accurate measurements of Earth’s gravity.
We encourage the dissemination of results from geoscience applications of absolute quantum gravimeters, which are gradually replacing devices based on the free-fall of corner cubes, since they allow nearly continuous absolute gravity measurements and offer the possibility to measure the gravity gradient. Quantum sensors are also increasingly considered for future gravity space missions. In addition, we welcome results from gravimeters based on other technologies (e.g., MEMS or superconducting gravimeters) that have been used to study the redistributions of subsurface fluid masses (water, magma, hydrocarbons, etc.) in permanent deployment or field surveys.
Besides gravimeters, other concepts can provide unique information on the Earth’s gravity field. According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, frequency comparisons of highly precise optical clocks connected by optical links give direct access to differences of the gravity potential (relativistic geodesy) over long baselines. In future, precise optical clock networks can be applied for defining and realizing a new international height system or to monitor mass variations.
Laser interferometry between test masses in space with nanometer accuracy – successfully demonstrated through the GRACE-FO mission – also belongs to these novel concepts, and even more refined concepts (tracking swarms of satellites, space gradiometry) will be realized in the near future.
We invite presentations illustrating the state of the art of those novel techniques, that will open the door to a vast bundle of applications, including the gravimetric observation of the Earth-Moon system with high spatial-temporal resolution as well as the assessment of terrestrial mass redistributions, occurring at different space and time scales and providing unique information on the processes behind, e.g., climate change and volcanic activity.
This session is organized jointly with the IAG (International Association of Geodesy) project "Novel Sensors and Quantum Technology for Geodesy (QuGe)" and the Horizon Europe project EQUIP-G (Grant ID 101215427).
I would like to draw your attention to next years EGU session G4.1 entitled “Modern Concepts for Ground and Space Observations of the Earth Gravity Field”, held in the framework of the Geodesy program group.
The session aims at bringing together experts in different observation methods for the Earth gravity field. All methods serving this purpose from gravimeters, gradiometers, clocks to laser interferometry are welcome to contribute. We strive to have an interdisciplinary mix of topics for discussing the state of the art and the opportunities offered by recent developments in instrumentation and methodology, including quantum sensors, novel concepts for measurement techniques and setups as well as the application oriented perspective (e.g. in hydrology, volcanology, resource exploitation).
Abstract submission deadline is January 15th (13:00 CET)!
We would like to encourage you to consider submitting a contribution to our session, if you have been working on related topics. Please feel free to forward this announcement in your community or to who you think might be interested. We are sorry for any cross-posting!
Please, find further information about the session and abstract submission here:
https://www.egu26.eu/session/58098
The description of the session is reported below.
Looking forward to your submissions and an interesting meeting at Vienna (or online) in May!
Marvin Reich and all co-conveners
G4.1 - Modern Concepts for Ground and Space Observations of the Earth Gravity Field
Convener: Marvin Reich, Co-conveners: Tanja Mehlstäubler, Sébastien Merlet
Recent developments in different fields have enabled new applications and concepts in the space- and ground-based observation of the Earth’s gravity field. In this session, we discuss the benefit of new sensors and techniques and their ability to provide precise and accurate measurements of Earth’s gravity.
We encourage the dissemination of results from geoscience applications of absolute quantum gravimeters, which are gradually replacing devices based on the free-fall of corner cubes, since they allow nearly continuous absolute gravity measurements and offer the possibility to measure the gravity gradient. Quantum sensors are also increasingly considered for future gravity space missions. In addition, we welcome results from gravimeters based on other technologies (e.g., MEMS or superconducting gravimeters) that have been used to study the redistributions of subsurface fluid masses (water, magma, hydrocarbons, etc.) in permanent deployment or field surveys.
Besides gravimeters, other concepts can provide unique information on the Earth’s gravity field. According to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, frequency comparisons of highly precise optical clocks connected by optical links give direct access to differences of the gravity potential (relativistic geodesy) over long baselines. In future, precise optical clock networks can be applied for defining and realizing a new international height system or to monitor mass variations.
Laser interferometry between test masses in space with nanometer accuracy – successfully demonstrated through the GRACE-FO mission – also belongs to these novel concepts, and even more refined concepts (tracking swarms of satellites, space gradiometry) will be realized in the near future.
We invite presentations illustrating the state of the art of those novel techniques, that will open the door to a vast bundle of applications, including the gravimetric observation of the Earth-Moon system with high spatial-temporal resolution as well as the assessment of terrestrial mass redistributions, occurring at different space and time scales and providing unique information on the processes behind, e.g., climate change and volcanic activity.
This session is organized jointly with the IAG (International Association of Geodesy) project "Novel Sensors and Quantum Technology for Geodesy (QuGe)" and the Horizon Europe project EQUIP-G (Grant ID 101215427).
________________________________________________ Dr. Marvin Reich Scientist | wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter Section 4.4 | Sektion 4.4 Tel: +49-331-6264-1599 Mail: mre...@gfz.de GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences | GFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Geoforschung Raum 2.21, C 4 Telegrafenberg 14473 Potsdam, Germany -- https://www.gfz.de/en/staff/marvin.reich/sec44 -- consider encrypting your emails my PGP-key id: 0xB0CAA8C1 -- ORCid: 0000-0001-7301-2094
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