4 December 2023
The context of this project is the utilization of atom interferometry techniques for the measurement of the Earth gravity field in satellites. Operating such sensors in space will allow to increase drastically the duration of the interferometer with respect to operation on Earth. Extending this duration in the range of seconds will allow to obtain intrinsic sensitivities well beyond what can be reached on the ground, and offers the possibility of realizing gravity measurements with a resolution better than previous missions of space gravity field mapping.
In recent years, our team has been involved in several studies of space missions to measure the gravity field in orbit, based on the use of atomic inertial sensors. Different architectures have been considered:
atomic gradiometers with sensitivities in the mE/Hz1/2 range (1E=10-9s-2) in the frame of a ESA study. The sensors were based on a relatively classical architecture, which demanding performances in terms of cycling time and ultracold atoms preparation rate. Such sensitivities would allow to reach a better resolution in the determination of the Earth gravity field than the GOCE mission, which used electrostatic gradiometers.
accelerometers embedded in a pair of satellites linked by a laser link, as on the GRACE and GRACE-FollowON missions, in the frame of the Phase 0 GRICE led by CNES
We also took part in the CARIOQA Phase 0 study, led by CNES and DLR, the aim of which was to produce a preliminary design of an accelerometer for a demonstration mission.
Publications
T. Lévèque, C. Fallet, J. Lefebve, A. Piquereau, A. Gauguet, B. Battelier, P. Bouyer, N. Gaaloul, M. Lachmann, B. Piest, E. Rasel, J. Müller, C. Schubert, Q. Beaufils, F. Pereira Dos Santos
"CARIOQA: Definition of a Quantum Pathfinder Mission"
Proceedings of International Conference on Space Optics (ICSO) 2022
T. Lévèque, C. Fallet, M. Mandea, R. Biancale, J. M. Lemoine, S. Tardivel, S. Delavault, A. Piquereau, S. Bourgogne, F. Pereira Dos Santos, B. Battelier, Ph. Bouyer
"Gravity Field Mapping Using Laser-Coupled Quantum Accelerometers in Space"
Journal of Geodesy 95, 15 (2021)
R. Caldani, S. Merlet, F. Pereira dos Santos, G. Stern, A.-S. Martin, B. Desruelle, V. Ménoret
"A prototype industrial laser system for cold atom inertial sensing in space"
Eur. Phys. J. D 73, 248 (2019)
A. Trimeche, B. Battelier, D. Becker, A. Bertoldi, P. Bouyer, C. Braxmaier, E. Charron, R. Corgier, M. Cornelius, K. Douch, N. Gaaloul, S. Herrmann, J. Müller, E. Rasel, C. Schubert, H. Wu, F. Pereira dos Santos
"Concept study and preliminary design of a cold atom interferometer for space gravity gradiometry"
Classical and Quantum Gravity 36, 215004 (2019)
T. Lévèque, C. Fallet, M. Mandea, R. Biancale, J. M. Lemoine, S. Tardivel, M. Delpech, G. Ramillien, I. Panet, S. Bourgogne, F. Pereira Dos Santos, Ph. Bouyer
"Correlated atom accelerometers for mapping the Earth gravity field from Space
Proceedings Volume 11180, International Conference on Space Optics-ICSO 2018, 111800W (2019)
K. Douch, H. Wu, C. Schubert, J. Müller, F. Pereira dos Santos
"Simulation-based evaluation of a cold atom interferometry gradiometer concept for gravity field recovery"
Advances in Space Research 61, 1307-1323 (2018)
A. Landragin, and F. Pereira Dos Santos
"Accelerometer using atomic waves for space applications"
In Atom Optics and Space Physics, Proceedings of the Enrico Fermi International School of Physics “Enrico Fermi,” Course CLXVIII, Varenna, 2007, edited by E. Arimondo, W. Ertmer, E. M. Rasel, and W. P. Schleich (IOS press) p337-350, arXiv:0808.3837v1 (2009)
P. Bouyer, F. Pereira Dos Santos, A. Landragin et Ch. J. Bordé
"Atom Interferometric Inertial Sensors for Space Applications"
In "Lasers, Clocks, and Drag Free: Exploration of Relativistic Gravity in Space", ed. by H. Dittus, C. Lämmerrzahl and S. Turyshev, Springer 2007, 297. (2007)