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Washington, March 18 (ANI): The European Space Agencys (ESAs) has launched its Earth explorer satellite GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer), which will map Earths gravity field in unprecedented detail.

Launched from the Russian Cosmodrome Plesetsk, GOCE is the first satellite mission within the framework of the Living Planet Programme of ESA.

From the data obtained, the GFZ - German Research Centre for Geosciences will calculate its own high-resolution gravity field.

The accuracy of the depiction of the Earths gravity field, well known as the Potsdam Gravity Potato will now be enhanced by orders of magnitude, said Professor Dr. Huttl, Scientific Executive Director of the GFZ.

GOCE will map the Earths gravity field with a spatial resolution of approximately 100 km, which is considerably more precise than all gravity satellite missions to date.

One of the most important scientific goals of the GOCE mission will be the study of the global ocean currents.

Ocean currents cause deviations of the sea-level from its equilibrium state with respect to the Earths gravity field.

These deviations, which are commonly known as ocean topography can amount up to two meters in height.

Conclusions on the ocean circulation in association with climate changes can be drawn from knowledge on the ocean topography.

By combining GOCE-measurement data with sea-level heights measured by other satellites, it will be possible for the first time to directly measure the ocean topography and its possible changes, explained Dr. Frank Flechtner, who processes gravity field data at GFZ.

This will be a new contribution to our knowledge of the ocean and its variation due to climate change.

Further scientific objectives of the GOCE Mission are the determination of the structure of the Earths crust and the mantel convection, as well as the generation of a unique precise global height reference system, which is essential for the precise monitoring of the sea-level and the understanding of its changes.

The key sensor for the gravity measurement on the GOCE satellite is a gravity gradiometer, which is now flown for the first time onboard a satellite.

In order to achieve the required high measuring-precision, GOCE orbits the earth at a very low altitude of approx. 250 km.

Therefore, the satellite is equipped with an ion propulsion engine as Drag Free Control System, which compensates the non-gravitational forces on the satellite and allows practically for flight in a pure free fall around the earth. (ANI)