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Seasonal and static Gravity Field of Mars from MGS, Mars Odyssey and MRO Radio ScienceWe present a spherical harmonic solution of the static gravity field of Mars to degree and order 120, GMM-3, that has been calculated using the Deep Space Network tracking data of the NASA Mars missions, Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), Mars Odyssey (ODY), and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). We have also jointly determined spherical harmonic solutions for the static and time-variable gravity field of Mars, and the Mars k(sub 2) Love numbers, exclusive of the gravity contribution of the atmosphere. Consequently, the retrieved time-varying gravity coefficients and the Love number k(sub 2) solely yield seasonal variations in the mass of the polar caps and the solid tides of Mars, respectively. We obtain a Mars Love number k(sub 2) of 0.1697 +/- 0.0027 (3- sigma). The inclusion of MRO tracking data results in improved seasonal gravity field coefficients C(sub 30) and, for the first time, C 50. Refinements of the atmospheric model in our orbit determination program have allowed us to monitor the odd zonal harmonic C(sub 30) for approximately 1.5 solar cycles (16 years). This gravity model shows improved correlations with MOLA topography up to 15% larger at higher harmonics ( l = 60-80) than previous solutions.
Document ID
20170002255
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Genova, Antonio
(Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Goossens, Sander
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Baltimore, MD, United States)
Lemoine, Frank G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mazarico, Erwan
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Neumann, Gregory A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Smith, David E.
(Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Zuber, Maria T.
(Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
March 14, 2017
Publication Date
March 5, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Publisher: Elsevier
Volume: 272
ISSN: 0019-1035
e-ISSN: 1090-2643
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN39940
GSFC-E-DAA-TN40220
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX09AO75G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG06EO90A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNA14AB01A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX13AJ86G
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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