Combined Classical and Quantum Accelerometers For the Next Generation of Satellite Gravity Missions

• Main Authors: HosseiniArani, Alireza, Schilling, Manuel, Tennstedt, Benjamin, Kupriyanov, Alexey, Beaufils, Quentin, Knabe, Annike, Sreekantaiah, Arpetha C, Santos, Franck Pereira dos, Schön, Steffen, Müller, Jürgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 18-05-2024
• Subjects: Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors; Physics - Quantum Physics; Physics - Space Physics
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2405.11259

Cold atom interferometry (CAI)-based quantum accelerometers are very
promising for future satellite gravity missions thanks to their strength in
providing long-term stable and precise measurements of non-gravitational
accelerations. However, their limitations due to the low measurement rate and
the existence of ambiguities in the raw sensor measurements call for
hybridization of the quantum accelerometer (Q-ACC) with a classical one (e.g.,
electrostatic) with higher bandwidth. While previous hybridization studies have
so far considered simple noise models for the Q-ACC and neglected the impact of
satellite rotation on the phase shift of the accelerometer, we perform here a
more advanced hybridization simulation by implementing a comprehensive noise
model for the satellite-based quantum accelerometers and considering the full
impact of rotation, gravity gradient, and self-gravity on the instrument. We
perform simulation studies for scenarios with different assumptions about
quantum and classical sensors and satellite missions. The performance benefits
of the hybrid solutions, taking the synergy of both classical and quantum
accelerometers into account, will be quantified. We found that implementing a
hybrid accelerometer onboard a future gravity mission improves the gravity
solution by one to two orders in lower and higher degrees. In particular, the
produced global gravity field maps show a drastic reduction in the instrumental
contribution to the striping effect after introducing measurements from the
hybrid accelerometers.