Category: News of the other missions

The Esa's Goce mission was launched two years ago and provides a Earth's geoid with unprecedented quality and resolution.

The Esa's Goce (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) mission was launched two years ago and provides a  Earth's geoid with unprecedented quality and resolution. The geoid is defined like an equipotential surface. On oceans, the geoid coincides with the mean sea surface, i.e. with a calm ocean surface without tides and currents. It's a reference to measure ocean circulation, sea-level change and ice dynamics. The precise model of Earth's geoid made by Goce helps to improve our understanding of the ocean dynamic.

Further information:

• Esa's website: <link http: www.esa.int esacp sem1ak6uplg_index_0.html _blank external-link-new-window>Earth's gravity revealed in unprecedented detail
• Applications: <link internal-link>Geodesy