Advances in Geosciences www.adv-geosci.net 1680-7340 1680-7359 1 G1. The new gravity field mission (CHAMP, GRACE, GOCE): from measurements to geophysical interpretation 2003 10.5194/adgeo-1-5-2003 http://www.adv-geosci.net/1/5/2003/ http://www.adv-geosci.net/1/5/2003/adgeo-1-5-2003.html http://www.adv-geosci.net/1/5/2003/adgeo-1-5-2003.pdf 5 9 2003-06-17 GOCE SGG and SST quick-look gravity field analysis R. Pail M. Wermut Institute of Geodesy, Graz University of Technology, Steyrergasse 30, A–8010 Graz, Austria Institute of Astronomical and Physical Geodesy, Technical University Munich, Arcisstraße 21, D–80333 Munich, Germany The purpose of quick-look analysis in the framework of the GOCE data processing architecture is to analyse partial data sets of satellite gravity gradiometry (SGG) and satellite-to-satellite tracking in high-low mode (hl-SST), in order to derive a diagnosis of the system performance. The semi-analytic (SA) method for gravity field recovery from GOCE observations, which is based on Fast Fourier Transform, is used. From a theoretical point of view, a number of requirements (circular, exact repeat orbit, uninterrupted measurement time series) have to be fulfilled. However, in the present paper it is demonstrated, that the SA approach can also be applied in the practical case of non-circular, nonrepeat orbits, and data gaps in the GOCE measurement time series. The performance of this approach is assessed in 5 case studies on the basis of a realistic closed-loop simulation.<br><br><b>Key words.</b> GOCE – semi-analytic approach – colored noise – data gaps – repeat orbit