Showing papers on "Gravitational field published in 2016"

Causes of Irregular Energy Density in $f(R,T)$ Gravity

Abstract: We investigate irregularity factors for a self-gravitating spherical star evolving in the presence of an imperfect fluid. We explore the gravitational field equations and the dynamical equations with the systematic construction in $f(R,T)$ gravity, where $T$ is the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. Furthermore, we analyze two well-known differential equations (which occupy principal importance in the exploration of causes of energy density inhomogeneities) with the help of the Weyl tensor and the conservation laws. The irregularity factors for a spherical star are examined for particular cases of dust and isotropic and anisotropic fluids in dissipative and nondissipative regimes in the framework of $f(R,T)$ gravity. It is found that, as the complexity of the matter with the anisotropic stresses increases, the inhomogeneity factor corresponds more closely to one of the structure scalars.

Approximate Universal Relations for Neutron Stars and Quark Stars

Abstract: Neutron stars and quark stars are ideal laboratories to study fundamental physics at supra nuclear densities and strong gravitational fields. Astrophysical observables, however, depend strongly on the star's internal structure, which is currently unknown due to uncertainties in the equation of state. Universal relations, however, exist among certain stellar observables that do not depend sensitively on the star's internal structure. One such set of relations is between the star's moment of inertia ($I$), its tidal Love number (Love) and its quadrupole moment ($Q$), the so-called I-Love-Q relations. Similar relations hold among the star's multipole moments, which resemble the well-known black hole no-hair theorems. Universal relations break degeneracies among astrophysical observables, leading to a variety of applications: (i) X-ray measurements of the nuclear matter equation of state, (ii) gravitational wave measurements of the intrinsic spin of inspiraling compact objects, and (iii) gravitational and astrophysical tests of General Relativity that are independent of the equation of state. We here review how the universal relations come about and all the applications that have been devised to date.

The Effective Field Theorist's Approach to Gravitational Dynamics

Abstract: We review the effective field theory (EFT) approach to gravitational dynamics. We focus on extended objects in long-wavelength backgrounds and gravitational wave emission from spinning binary systems. We conclude with an introduction to EFT methods for the study of cosmological large scale structures.

A partially differentiated interior for (1) Ceres deduced from its gravity field and shape

Abstract: Remote observations of the asteroid (1) Ceres from ground- and space-based telescopes have provided its approximate density and shape, leading to a range of models for the interior of Ceres, from homogeneous to fully differentiated. A previously missing parameter that can place a strong constraint on the interior of Ceres is its moment of inertia, which requires the measurement of its gravitational variation together with either precession rate or a validated assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. However, Earth-based remote observations cannot measure gravity variations and the magnitude of the precession rate is too small to be detected. Here we report gravity and shape measurements of Ceres obtained from the Dawn spacecraft, showing that it is in hydrostatic equilibrium with its inferred normalized mean moment of inertia of 0.37. These data show that Ceres is a partially differentiated body, with a rocky core overlaid by a volatile-rich shell, as predicted in some studies. Furthermore, we show that the gravity signal is strongly suppressed compared to that predicted by the topographic variation. This indicates that Ceres is isostatically compensated, such that topographic highs are supported by displacement of a denser interior. In contrast to the asteroid (4) Vesta, this strong compensation points to the presence of a lower-viscosity layer at depth, probably reflecting a thermal rather than compositional gradient. To further investigate the interior structure, we assume a two-layer model for the interior of Ceres with a core density of 2,460-2,900 kilograms per cubic metre (that is, composed of CI and CM chondrites), which yields an outer-shell thickness of 70-190 kilometres. The density of this outer shell is 1,680-1,950 kilograms per cubic metre, indicating a mixture of volatiles and denser materials such as silicates and salts. Although the gravity and shape data confirm that the interior of Ceres evolved thermally, its partially differentiated interior indicates an evolution more complex than has been envisioned for mid-sized (less than 1,000 kilometres across) ice-rich rocky bodies.

Tesseroids: Forward-modeling gravitational fields in spherical coordinates

Abstract: We have developed the open-source software Tesseroids, a set of command-line programs to perform forward modeling of gravitational fields in spherical coordinates. The software is implemented in the C programming language and uses tesseroids (spherical prisms) for the discretization of the subsurface mass distribution. The gravitational fields of tesseroids are calculated numerically using the Gauss-Legendre quadrature (GLQ). We have improved upon an adaptive discretization algorithm to guarantee the accuracy of the GLQ integration. Our implementation of adaptive discretization uses a “stack-based” algorithm instead of recursion to achieve more control over execution errors and corner cases. The algorithm is controlled by a scalar value called the distance-size ratio (D) that determines the accuracy of the integration as well as the computation time. We have determined optimal values of D for the gravitational potential, gravitational acceleration, and gravity gradient tensor by comparing the comp...

What Can be Expected from the GRACE-FO Laser Ranging Interferometer for Earth Science Applications?

Abstract: The primary objective of the gravity recovery and climate experiment followon (GRACE-FO) satellite mission, due for launch in August 2017, is to continue the GRACE time series of global monthly gravity field models. For this, evolved versions of the GRACE microwave instrument, GPS receiver, and accelerometer will be used. A secondary objective is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a laser ranging interferometer (LRI) in improving the satellite-to-satellite tracking measurement performance. In order to investigate the expected enhancement for Earth science applications, we have performed a full-scale simulation over the nominal mission lifetime of 5 years using a realistic orbit scenario and error assumptions both for instrument and background model errors. Unfiltered differences between the synthetic input and the finally recovered time-variable monthly gravity models show notable improvements with the LRI, on a global scale, of the order of 23 %. The gain is realized for wavelengths smaller than 240 km in case of Gaussian filtering but decreases to just a few percent when anisotropic filtering is applied. This is also confirmed for some typical regional Earth science applications which show randomly distributed patterns of small improvements but also degradations when using DDK4-filtered LRI-based models. Analysis of applied error models indicates that accelerometer noise followed by ocean tide and non-tidal mass variation errors are the main contributors to the overall GRACE-FO gravity model error. Improvements in these fields are therefore necessary, besides optimized constellations, to make use of the increased LRI accuracy and to significantly improve gravity field models from next-generation gravity missions.

Gravitational waves from inflation

Abstract: The production of a stochastic background of gravitational waves is a fundamental prediction of any cosmological inflationary model. The features of such a signal encode unique information about the physics of the Early Universe and beyond, thus representing an exciting, powerful window on the origin and evolution of the Universe. We review the main mechanisms of gravitational-wave production, ranging from quantum fluctuations of the gravitational field to other mechanisms that can take place during or after inflation. These include e.g. gravitational waves generated as a consequence of extra particle production during inflation, or during the (p)reheating phase. Gravitational waves produced in inflation scenarios based on modified gravity theories and second-order gravitational waves are also considered. For each analyzed case, the expected power spectrum is given. We discuss the discriminating power among different models, associated with the validity/violation of the standard consistency relation between tensor-to-scalar ratio r and tensor spectral index nT In light of the prospects for (directly/indirectly) detecting primordial gravitational waves, we give the expected present-day gravitational radiation spectral energy-density, highlighting the main characteristics imprinted by the cosmic thermal history, and we outline the signatures left by gravitational waves on the Cosmic Microwave Background and some imprints in the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe. Finally, current bounds and prospects of detection for inflationary gravitational waves are summarized.

Strong deflection limit analysis and gravitational lensing of an Ellis wormhole

Abstract: Observations of gravitational lenses in strong gravitational fields give us a clue to understanding dark compact objects. In this paper, we extend a method to obtain a deflection angle in a strong deflection limit provided by Bozza [Phys. Rev. D 66, 103001 (2002)] to apply to ultrastatic spacetimes. We also discuss on the order of an error term in the deflection angle. Using the improved method, we consider gravitational lensing by an Ellis wormhole, which is an ultrastatic wormhole of the Morris-Thorne class.

GECO: a global gravity model by locally combining GOCE data and EGM2008

Abstract: The EGM2008 model is nowadays one of the description of the global gravitational field at the highest resolution. It is delivered with two, not fully consistent, sources of information on its error: spherical harmonic coefficient variances and a geographical map of error variances, e.g. in terms of geoid undulation. In the present work, the gravity field information derived from a GOCE satellite-only global model is used to improve the accuracy of EGM2008 model in the low to medium frequencies, especially in areas where no data were available at the time of EGM2008 computation. The key issue is to set up the error covariance matrices of the two models for an optimal least-squares combination: the full error covariance matrix of GOCE spherical harmonic coefficients is approximated by an order-wise block-diagonal matrix, while for EGM2008, the pointwise error variances are taken from the provided geoid error map and the error spatial correlations from the coefficient variances. Due to computational reasons the combination is directly performed in terms of geoid values over a regular grid on local areas. Repeating the combination for overlapping areas all over the world and then performing a harmonic analysis, a new combined model is obtained. It is called GECO and extends up to the EGM2008 maximum degree. Comparisons with other recent combined models, such as EIGEN-6C4, and a local geoid based on new gravity datasets in Antarctica are performed to evaluate its quality. The main conclusion is that the proposed combination, weighting the different input contributions not only on a global basis but also according to some local error information, can perform even better than other more sophisticated combinations in areas where the input global error description is not reliable enough.

The elastic wave motions for a photothermal medium of a dual-phase-lag model with an internal heat source and gravitational field

Abstract: In this work, the dual-phase-lag (DPL) heat transfer model is introduced to study the problem of an isotropic generalized thermoelastic medium with an internal heat source that is moving with a con...

Next-to-next-to-leading order gravitational spin-orbit coupling via the effective field theory for spinning objects in the post-Newtonian scheme

Abstract: We implement the effective field theory for gravitating spinning objects in the post-Newtonian scheme at the next-to-next-to-leading order level to derive the gravitational spin-orbit interaction potential at the third and a half post-Newtonian order for rapidly rotating compact objects. From the next-to-next-to-leading order interaction potential, which we obtain here in a Lagrangian form for the first time, we derive straightforwardly the corresponding Hamiltonian. The spin-orbit sector constitutes the most elaborate spin dependent sector at each order, and accordingly we encounter a proliferation of the relevant Feynman diagrams, and a significant increase of the computational complexity. We present in detail the evaluation of the interaction potential, going over all contributing Feynman diagrams. The computation is carried out in terms of the ``nonrelativistic gravitational'' fields, which are advantageous also in spin dependent sectors, together with the various gauge choices included in the effective field theory for gravitating spinning objects, which also optimize the calculation. In addition, we automatize the effective field theory computations, and carry out the automated computations in parallel. Such automated effective field theory computations would be most useful to obtain higher order post-Newtonian corrections. We compare our Hamiltonian to the ADM Hamiltonian, and arrive at a complete agreement between the ADM and effective field theory results. Finally, we provide Hamiltonians in the center of mass frame, and complete gauge invariant relations among the binding energy, angular momentum, and orbital frequency of an inspiralling binary with generic compact spinning components to third and a half post-Newtonian order. The derivation presented here is essential to obtain further higher order post-Newtonian corrections, and to reach the accuracy level required for the successful detection of gravitational radiation.

A Test of General Relativity Using the LARES and LAGEOS Satellites and a GRACE Earth's Gravity Model

Abstract: We present a test of General Relativity, the measurement of the Earth's dragging of inertial frames. Our result is obtained using about 3.5 years of laser-ranged observations of the LARES, LAGEOS and LAGEOS 2 laser-ranged satellites together with the Earth's gravity field model GGM05S produced by the space geodesy mission GRACE. We measure $\mu = (0.994 \pm 0.002) \pm 0.05$, where $\mu$ is the Earth's dragging of inertial frames normalized to its General Relativity value, 0.002 is the 1-sigma formal error and 0.05 is the estimated systematic error mainly due to the uncertainties in the Earth's gravity model GGM05S. Our result is in agreement with the prediction of General Relativity.

Solving higher curvature gravity theories

Abstract: Solving field equations in the context of higher curvature gravity theories is a formidable task. However, in many situations, e.g., in the context of f(R) theories, the higher curvature gravity action can be written as an Einstein–Hilbert action plus a scalar field action. We show that not only the action but the field equations derived from the action are also equivalent, provided the spacetime is regular. We also demonstrate that such an equivalence continues to hold even when the gravitational field equations are projected on a lower-dimensional hypersurface. We have further addressed explicit examples in which the solutions for Einstein–Hilbert and a scalar field system lead to solutions of the equivalent higher curvature theory. The same, but on the lower-dimensional hypersurface, has been illustrated in the reverse order as well. We conclude with a brief discussion on this technique of solving higher curvature field equations.

Gravitational waves from inflation

Abstract: The production of a stochastic background of gravitational waves is a fundamental prediction of any cosmological inflationary model. The features of such a signal encode unique information about the physics of the Early Universe and beyond, thus representing an exciting, powerful window on the origin and evolution of the Universe. We review the main mechanisms of gravitational-wave production, ranging from quantum fluctuations of the gravitational field to other mechanisms that can take place during or after inflation. These include e.g. gravitational waves generated as a consequence of extra particle production during inflation, or during the (p)reheating phase. Gravitational waves produced in inflation scenarios based on modified gravity theories and second-order gravitational waves are also considered. For each analyzed case, the expected power-spectrum is given. We discuss the discriminating power among different models, associated with the validity/violation of the standard consistency relation between tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ and tensor spectral index $n_{\rm T}$. In light of the prospects for (directly/indirectly) detecting primordial gravitational waves, we give the expected present-day gravitational radiation spectral energy-density, highlighting the main characteristics imprinted by the cosmic thermal history, and we outline the signatures left by gravitational waves on the Cosmic Microwave Background and some imprints in the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe. Finally, current bounds and prospects of detection for inflationary gravitational waves are summarized.

Combined Solar system and rotation curve constraints on MOND

Abstract: The Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) paradigm generically predicts that the external gravitational field in which a system is embedded can produce effects on its internal dynamics. In this communication, we first show that this external field effect (EFE) can significantly improve some galactic rotation curves fits by decreasing the predicted velocities of the external part of the rotation curves. In modified gravity versions of MOND, this EFE also appears in the Solar system and leads to a very good way to constrain the transition function of the theory. A combined analysis of the galactic rotation curves and Solar system constraints (provided by the Cassini spacecraft) rules out several classes of popular MOND transition functions, but leaves others viable. Moreover, we show that Laser Interferometer Space Antenna Pathfinder will not be able to improve the current constraints on these still viable transition functions.

Some analytical models of anisotropic strange stars

Abstract: Over the years of the concept of local isotropy has become a too stringent condition in modeling relativistic self-gravitating objects. Taking local anisotropy into consideration, in this work, some analytical models of relativistic anisotropic charged strange stars have been developed. The Einstein–Maxwell gravitational field equations have been solved with a particular form of one of the metric potentials. The radial pressure and the energy density have been assumed to follow the usual linear equation of state of strange quark matter, the MIT bag model.

New Antarctic Gravity Anomaly Grid for Enhanced Geodetic and Geophysical Studies in Antarctica.

Abstract: Gravity surveying is challenging in Antarctica because of its hostile environment and inaccessibility. Nevertheless, many ground-based, airborne and shipborne gravity campaigns have been completed by the geophysical and geodetic communities since the 1980s. We present the first modern Antarctic-wide gravity data compilation derived from 13 million data points covering an area of 10 million km2, which corresponds to 73% coverage of the continent. The remove-compute-restore technique was applied for gridding, which facilitated levelling of the different gravity datasets with respect to an Earth Gravity Model derived from satellite data alone. The resulting free-air and Bouguer gravity anomaly grids of 10 km resolution are publicly available. These grids will enable new high-resolution combined Earth Gravity Models to be derived and represent a major step forward towards solving the geodetic polar data gap problem. They provide a new tool to investigate continental-scale lithospheric structure and geological evolution of Antarctica.

A Particle Filter-Based Matching Algorithm With Gravity Sample Vector for Underwater Gravity Aided Navigation

Abstract: Gravity matching algorithm is a key technique of gravity aided navigation for underwater vehicles. The reliability of traditional single point matching algorithm can be easily affected by environmental disturbance, which results in mismatching and decrease of navigation accuracy. Therefore, a particle filter (PF)-based matching algorithm with gravity sample vector is proposed. The correlation between adjacent sample points of inertial navigation system is considered in the vector matching algorithm in order to solve the mismatching problem. The current sampling point matching result is rectified by the vectors composed by the selected sampling points and matching point. The amount of selected sampling points is determined by the gravity field distribution and the real-time performance of the algorithm. A PF-based on Bayesian estimation is introduced in the proposed method to overcome the divergence disadvantage of the traditional point matching algorithm in some matching areas with obvious gravity variation. Simulation results prove that compared with the traditional methods, the proposed method is robust to the changes of gravity anomaly in the matching areas, with more accurate and reliable matching results.

Extending the geometric deformation: New black hole solutions

Abstract: By using the extension of the Minimal Geometric Deformation approach, recently developed to investigate the exterior spacetime of a self-gravitating system in the Braneworld, we identified a master solution for the deformation undergone by the radial metric component when time deformations are produced by bulk gravitons. A specific form for the temporal deformation is used to generate a new exterior solution with a tidal charge Q. The main feature of this solution is the presence of higher-order terms in the tidal charge, thus generalizing the well known tidally charged solution. The horizon of the black hole lies inside the Schwarzschild radius, h < rs = 2ℳ, indicating that extra-dimensional effects weaken the gravitational field.

First-order cosmological perturbations engendered by point-like masses

Abstract: In the framework of the concordance cosmological model the first-order scalar and vector perturbations of the homogeneous background are derived in the weak gravitational field limit without any supplementary approximations. The sources of these perturbations (inhomogeneities) are presented in the discrete form of a system of separate point-like gravitating masses. The found expressions for the metric corrections are valid at all (sub-horizon and super-horizon) scales and converge at all points except at locations of the sources. The average values of these metric corrections are zero (thus, first-order backreaction effects are absent). Both the Minkowski background limit and the Newtonian cosmological approximation are reached under certain well-defined conditions. An important feature of the velocity-independent part of the scalar perturbation is revealed: up to an additive constant this part represents a sum of Yukawa potentials produced by inhomogeneities with the same finite time-dependent Yukawa interaction range. The suggested connection between this range and the homogeneity scale is briefly discussed along with other possible physical implications.

A micromechanical proof-of-principle experiment for measuring the gravitational force of milligram masses

Abstract: This paper addresses a simple question: how small can one make a gravitational source mass and still detect its gravitational coupling to a nearby test mass? We describe an experimental scheme based on micromechanical sensing to observe gravity between milligram-scale source masses, thereby improving the current smallest source mass values by three orders of magnitude and possibly even more. We also discuss the implications of such measurements both for improved precision measurements of Newton's constant and for a new generation of experiments at the interface between quantum physics and gravity.

Declining rotation curves of galaxies as a test of gravitational theory

Abstract: Unlike Newtonian dynamics which is linear and obeys the strong equivalence principle, in any nonlinear gravitation such as Milgromian dynamics (MOND), the strong version of the equivalence principle is violated and the gravitational dynamics of a system is influenced by the external gravitational field in which it is embedded. This so called External Field Effect (EFE) is one of the important implications of MOND and provides a special context to test Milgromian dynamics. Here, we study the rotation curves (RCs) of 18 spiral galaxies and find that their shapes constrain the EFE. We show that the EFE can successfully remedy the overestimation of rotation velocities in 80\% of the sample galaxies in Milgromian dynamics fits by decreasing the velocity in the outer part of the RCs. We compare the implied external field with the gravitational field for non-negligible nearby sources of each individual galaxy and find that in many cases it is compatible with the EFE within the uncertainties. We therefore argue that in the framework of Milgromian dynamics, one can constrain the gravitational field induced from the environment of galaxies using their RCs. We finally show that taking into account the EFE yields more realistic values for the stellar mass-to-light ratio in terms of stellar population synthesis than the ones implied without the EFE.

Gravitational self-force on eccentric equatorial orbits around a Kerr black hole

Abstract: This paper presents the first calculation of the gravitational self-force on a small compact object on an eccentric equatorial orbit around a Kerr black hole to first order in the mass ratio. That is the pointwise correction to the object's equations of motion (both conservative and dissipative) due to its own gravitational field, which is treated as a linear perturbation to the background Kerr spacetime generated by the much larger spinning black hole. The calculation builds on recent advances on constructing the local metric and self-force from solutions of the Teukolsky equation, which led to the calculation of the Detweiler-Barack-Sago redshift invariant on eccentric equatorial orbits around a Kerr black hole in a previous paper. After deriving the necessary expression to obtain the self-force from the Weyl scalar ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{4}$, we perform several consistency checks of the method and numerical implementation, including a check of the balance law relating the orbital average of the self-force to the average flux of energy and angular momentum out of the system. Particular attention is paid to the pointwise convergence properties of the sum over frequency modes in our method, identifying a systematic inherent loss of precision that any frequency domain calculation of the self-force on eccentric orbits must overcome.

Mass bounds for compact spherically symmetric objects in generalized gravity theories

Abstract: We derive upper and lower bounds on the mass-radius ratio of stable compact objects in extended gravity theories, in which modifications of the gravitational dynamics via-\'a-vis standard general relativity are described by an effective contribution to the matter energy-momentum tensor. Our results include the possibility of a variable coupling between the matter sector and the gravitational field and are valid for a large class of generalized gravity models. The generalized continuity and Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations are expressed in terms of the effective mass, density, and pressure, given by the bare values plus additional contributions from the total energy-momentum tensor, and general theoretical limits for the maximum and minimum mass-radius ratios are explicitly obtained. As applications of the formalism developed herein, we consider compact bosonic objects, described by scalar-tensor gravitational theories with self-interacting scalar field potentials, and charged compact objects, respectively. For Higgs-type models, we find that these bounds can be expressed in terms of the value of the potential at the surface of the compact object. Minimizing the energy with respect to the radius, we obtain explicit upper and lower bounds on the mass, which admits a Chandrasekhar-type representation. For charged compact objects, we consider the effects of the Poincar\'e stresses on the equilibrium structure and obtain bounds on the radial and tangential stresses. As a possible astrophysical test of our results, we obtain the general bound on the gravitational redshift for compact objects in extended gravity theories and explicitly compute the redshift restrictions for objects with nonzero effective surface pressure. General implications of minimum mass bounds for the gravitational stability of fundamental particles and for the existence of holographic duality between bulk and boundary degrees of freedom are also considered.

Strings in Background Fields

Abstract: In this paper free quantum theories are derived solely from their underlying symmetry group without reference to a Lagrangean or classical physics and then interactions are introduced by making use of automorphism of the symmetry algebra. It is shown how the solution of a theory interacting with background fields is obtained exactly and purely algebraically from the free theory by the action of a linear operator. The method is first applied to the harmonic oscillator interacting with a conserved current and in a second example to string theory in the presence of constant dilaton, Kalb-Ramond or gravitational fields. The derived interaction for the Kalb-Ramond background is periodic and the interactions with a dilaton respectively a gravitational field exhibit a strong-weak-coupling duality. Furthermore, it is proposed in this paper to interpret T-duality as a position-momentum duality on compact space.

Testing Einstein's weak equivalence principle with gravitational waves

Abstract: A conservative constraint on Einstein's weak equivalence principle (WEP) can be obtained under the assumption that the observed time delay between correlated particles from astronomical sources is dominated by the gravitational fields through which they move. Current limits on the WEP are mainly based on the observed time delays of photons with different energies. It is highly desirable to develop more accurate tests that include the gravitational wave (GW) sector. The detection by the advanced LIGO/VIRGO systems of gravitational waves will provide attractive candidates for constraining the WEP, extending the tests to gravitational interactions with potentially higher accuracy. Considering the capabilities of the advanced LIGO/VIRGO network and the source direction uncertainty, we show that the joint detection of GWs and electromagnetic signals could probe the WEP to an accuracy down to 10(-10), which is one order of magnitude tighter than previous limits, and 7 orders of magnitude tighter than the multimessenger (photons and neutrinos) results by supernova 1987A.

Radiation and Boundary Conditions in the Theory of Gravitation

Abstract: The Sommerfeld boundary conditions, applied to an asymptotically weak gravitational field, are shown to imply that the 1/r part of the curvature tensor of a space-time, satisfying the Einstein equations, is of type null in the Petrov classification and that there is then a flux of energy carried away by the outgoing gravitational wave.

Satellite gravity gradient grids for geophysics

Abstract: The Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite aimed at determining the Earth’s mean gravity field. GOCE delivered gravity gradients containing directional information, which are complicated to use because of their error characteristics and because they are given in a rotating instrument frame indirectly related to the Earth. We compute gravity gradients in grids at 225 km and 255 km altitude above the reference ellipsoid corresponding to the GOCE nominal and lower orbit phases respectively, and find that the grids may contain additional high-frequency content compared with GOCE-based global models. We discuss the gradient sensitivity for crustal depth slices using a 3D lithospheric model of the North-East Atlantic region, which shows that the depth sensitivity differs from gradient to gradient. In addition, the relative signal power for the individual gradient component changes comparing the 225 km and 255 km grids, implying that using all components at different heights reduces parameter uncertainties in geophysical modelling. Furthermore, since gravity gradients contain complementary information to gravity, we foresee the use of the grids in a wide range of applications from lithospheric modelling to studies on dynamic topography, and glacial isostatic adjustment, to bedrock geometry determination under ice sheets.