Measuring the difference in gravitational potentials of ground points using the duplex satellite method

Abstract

The issue of measuring the difference in gravitational potentials and the corresponding difference in orthometric heights based on two spatially separated highly stable ground-based hydrogen quantum clocks is investigated. The relevance of the presented study and its practical significance are determined, in particular, by the prospects for measuring the difference in orthometric heights using the duplex method of comparing the time scales of remote consumers via a geostationary communications satellite. The problem of determining the difference in gravitational potentials and the corresponding difference in orthometric heights between points on the Earth's surface is considered. A solution is proposed for measuring the difference in orthometric heights using the duplex method of comparing time scales of remote consumers via a geostationary communications satellite. A scheme of an original experiment is described for measuring the difference in gravitational potentials and the corresponding difference in orthometric heights based on two spatially separated highly stable ground-based hydrogen quantum clocks. In accordance with the proposed scheme, for the first time in the Russian Federation, the difference in gravitational potentials and orthometric heights of ground points located at a distance of 825 m from each other was measured based on the duplex satellite method and transportable quantum hydrogen clocks. The domestic geostationary satellite Express-80 was used in the geostationary repeater satellite; duplex communication was established using stationary and relocatable sets of duplex equipment. With a relative instability of quantum clocks of 10–15 and a difference in orthometric heights of about 21 m, the measurement error was 2.8 m. The results obtained are relevant for geodetic gravimetry when solving problems of constructing a unified altitude base using highly stable quantum frequency standards.