Scientific assessment of the CARIOQA-PMP quantum accelerometer pathfinder

Abstract

Satellite gravimetry is a unique tool to monitor the Earth's mass variations. Satellite missions like GRACE and GRACE Follow-On provide insights into the time-variable gravity field on a global scale to further improve our understanding of climate change processes and geophysical phenomena on scales of a few hundreds of kilometres. The users of gravity field products, however, require higher accuracies and a better spatial and/or temporal resolution, which are not met yet. The current GRACE-FO mission is not only limited by its observational geometry but also by limitations of current instruments, like electrostatic accelerometers. These challenges are partly tackled by current ESA and NASA initiatives to realise satellite gravimetry missions with overlapping mission lifetimes at different orbits. The sensor issue is addressed by the Cold Atom Rubidium Interferometer in Orbit for Quantum Accelerometer - Pathfinder Mission Preparation (CARIOQA-PMP) project. The main goal of CARIOQA-PMP is the preparation of a pathfinder mission with view to demonstrating an atom-quantum accelerometer in space within this decade and to realise a technological and programmatic roadmap for a quantum space gravimetry mission meeting user demands from a wide range of applications. This presentation will give an overview of the scientific activities within CARIOQA-PMP. These include the definition of the quantum pathfinder mission concept, the development of tools to simulate the quantum accelerometer and to estimate its performance, and to evaluate current end-user requirements, including the development of mission designs addressing these needs. CARIOQA-PMP is funded by the European Union.