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Abstract

A new synthetic model of the time-variable global gravity field is now available based on realistic mass variability in atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial water storage, continental ice-sheets, and the solid Earth. The updated ESA Earth System Model is provided in Stokes coefficients up to degree and order 180 with a temporal resolution of 6 h covering the time period 1995–2006, and can be readily applied as a source model in future gravity mission simulation studies. The model contains plausible variability and trends in both low-degree coefficients and the global mean eustatic sea level. It depicts reasonable mass variability all over the globe at a wide range of frequencies including multi-year trends, year-to-year variability, and seasonal variability even at very fine spatial scales, which is important for a realistic representation of spatial aliasing and leakage. In particular on these small spatial scales between 50 and 250 km, the model contains a range of signals that have not been reliably observed yet by satellite gravimetry. In addition, the updated Earth System Model provides substantial high-frequency variability at periods down to a few hours only, thereby allowing to critically test strategies for the minimization of temporal aliasing.