Response Of Earth Research Articles

A modification of normalized difference drought index to enhance drought assessment using remotely sensed imagery.

Drought is one of the common natural disasters with a wide range of occurrences in terms of space and time, and with varying levels of severity, that may result in economic damage and health issues to humans. This study focuses on assessing drought severity in the Central Highlands of Vietnam based on ground meteorological stations and multispectral remote sensing data. A Modification of the Normalized Difference Drought Index (MNDDI) was developed to enhance the effectiveness of remote sensing indices in the drought assessment. Results indicate that MNDDI outperforms Normalized Difference Drought Index and other investigated indicators, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Latent Heat Index, and Normalized Difference Water Index, in representing the Earth's surface response to drought events. Correlations ranging from 0.85 to 0.63 were identified between MNDDI and various time scales of the commonly used meteorological drought indicator, namely the Standardized Precipitation Index, during the drought year of 2015. This work also reveals the superiority of MNDDI in portraying the response of land cover types to drought situations. The finding of a severe drought phenomenon in critical agricultural zones is highly consistent with the report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam. This study contributes valuable insights to the preliminary assessment of drought through remote sensing data, offering a foundation for precise drought outlooks and effective risk management strategies.

On calculating glacial isostatic adjustment

Modeling the earth's fluid and elastic response to the melting of the glaciers of the last ice age is the most direct way to infer the earth's radial viscosity profile. Here, we compare two methods for calculating the viscoelastic response to surface loading. In one, the elastic equation of motion is converted to a viscoelastic equation using the Correspondence Principle. In the other, elastic deformation is added to the viscous flow as isostatic adjustment proceeds. The two modeling methods predict adjustment histories that are different enough to potentially impact the interpretation of the observed glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). The differences arise from buoyancy and whether fluid displacements are subjected to hydrostatic pre-stress. The methods agree if they use the same equations and boundary conditions. The origin of the differences is determined by varying the boundary conditions and pre-stress application.

Constraining Earth's mantle rheology with Love and Shida numbers at the [formula omitted] tidal frequency

We use measurements of Earth's tidal response at the M2 frequency to constrain the rheology of its mantle. The viscoelasticity and anelasticity of the planet are modeled with an Andrade rheology that depends on two parameters: α and ζ. In this paper, we propose an improved algorithm to compute Earth's tidal deformation. Its Love and Shida numbers k2, h2, k3 and l2 as well as the tidal lag ϵ were calculated for two viscosity profiles and for a wide range of values of α and ζ. By comparing our results with geodetic measurements we obtain the range of values of α and ζ that successfully describes Earth's viscoelastic behavior. Values of ζ as high as 105 can not be excluded. For ζ=1, α should be in the range from 0.19 to 0.33, while for a ζ=105, α is most likely between 0.11 and 0.17. We believe that a similar rheology should be used in geophysical models of other rocky planets and satellites. The obtained results are mostly representative of the lower mantle.We have also shown that for several combinations of the two parameters α and ζ we could obtain nearly identical values of Earth's ℜk2, ℜh2, ℜl2 and ℜk3 with considerably different values of the associated tidal lag. This shows that the approach of always setting ζ=1 might be too simplistic and an Andrade rheology with two free parameters is needed to constrain both the real and imaginary parts of Love and Shida numbers.

Impacts of artificial dams on terrestrial water storage changes and the Earth's elastic load response during 1950–2016: A case study of medium and large reservoirs in Chinese mainland

The construction of dams for intercepting and storing water has altered surface water distributions, land-sea water exchanges, and the load response of the solid Earth. The lack of accurate estimation of reservoir properties through the land surface and hydrological models can lead to water storage simulation and extraction errors. This impact is particularly evident in many artificial reservoirs in China. The study aims to comprehensively assess the spatiotemporal distribution and trends of water storage in medium and large reservoirs (MLRs) in Chinese mainland during 1950–2016, and to investigate the gravity, displacement, and strain effects induced by the reservoir mass concentration using the load elasticity theory. In addition, the impoundment contributions of MLRs to the relative sea level changes were assessed using a sea-level equation. The results show impoundment increases in the MLRs during 1950–2016, particularly in the Yangtze River (Changjiang) and southern basins, causing significant elastic load effects in the surrounding areas of the reservoirs and increasing the relative sea level in China's offshore. However, long-term groundwater estimation trends are overestimated and underestimated in the Yangtze River and southwestern basins, respectively, due to the neglect of the MLRs impacts or the uncertainty of the hydrological model's output (e.g., soil moisture, etc.). The construction of MLRs may reduce the water mass input from land to the ocean, thus slowing global sea level rise. The results of the impact of human activities on the regional water cycle provide important references and data support for improving the integration of hydrological models, evaluating Earth's viscoelastic responses under long-term reservoir storage, enhancing in-situ and satellite geodetic measurements, and identifying the main factors driving sea level changes.

How Well do We Understand the Planck Feedback?

AbstractA reference or “no‐feedback” radiative response to warming is fundamental to understanding how much global warming will occur for a given change in greenhouse gases or solar radiation incident on the Earth. The simplest estimate of this radiative response is given by the Stefan‐Boltzmann law as W m−2 K−1 for Earth's present climate, where is a global effective emission temperature. The comparable radiative response in climate models, widely called the “Planck feedback,” averages −3.3 W m−2 K−1. This difference of 0.5 W m−2 K−1 is large compared to the uncertainty in the net climate feedback, yet it has not been studied carefully. We use radiative transfer models to analyze these two radiative feedbacks to warming, and find that the difference arises primarily from the lack of stratospheric warming assumed in calculations of the Planck feedback (traditionally justified by differing constraints on and time scales of stratospheric adjustment relative to surface and tropospheric warming). The Planck feedback is thus masked for wavelengths with non‐negligible stratospheric opacity, and this effect implicitly acts to amplify warming in current feedback analysis of climate change. Other differences between Planck and Stefan‐Boltzmann feedbacks arise from temperature‐dependent gas opacities, and several artifacts of nonlinear averaging across wavelengths, heights, and different locations; these effects partly cancel but as a whole slightly destabilize the Planck feedback. Our results point to an important role played by stratospheric opacity in Earth's climate sensitivity, and clarify a long‐overlooked but notable gap in our understanding of Earth's reference radiative response to warming.

HIGH PRECISION AEROMAGNETOMETRIC SURVEY ALONG THE GEOTRAVERSE IN THE SHU-SARYSU GAS BASIN

Magnetic survey is a geophysical method of solving geological problems based on the study of the Earth's magnetic response and the magnetic properties of rocks and minerals. The main task of magnetic survey is to determine the depth of the basement, trace major fault zones, types of fault tectonics, mapping in the section of intrusive massifs of different composition to determine the morphology and depth of objects.

Application of the Pseudo‐Global Warming Approach in a Kilometer‐Resolution Climate Simulation of the Tropics

AbstractClouds over tropical oceans are an important factor in the Earth's response to increased greenhouse gas concentrations, but their representation in climate models is challenging due to the small‐scale nature of the involved convective processes. We perform two 4‐year‐long simulations at kilometer‐resolution (3.3 km horizontal grid spacing) with the limited‐area model COSMO over the tropical Atlantic on a 9,000 × 7,000 km2 domain: A control simulation under current climate conditions driven by the ERA5 reanalysis, and a climate change scenario simulation using the Pseudo‐Global Warming approach. We compare these results to the changes projected in the CMIP6 scenario ensemble. Validation shows a good representation of the annual cycle of albedo, in particular for trade‐wind clouds, even compared to the ERA5 reanalysis. Also, the vertical structure and annual cycle of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is accurately simulated, and the simulation does not suffer from the double ITCZ problem commonly present in global climate models (GCMs). The response to global warming differs between the COSMO simulation and the analyzed GCMs. While both exhibit an overall weakening of the Hadley circulation, the narrowing of the ITCZ (known as the deep‐tropics squeeze) is not so pronounced in the kilometer‐resolution simulation, likely due to the absence of a double ITCZ bias. Also, there is a more pronounced intensification of the ITCZ at the equator in the kilometer‐resolution COSMO simulation, and a stronger associated increase in the anvil cloud fraction.

Solar Rotation Effects in Earth's and Mars' Thermospheric Densities as Revealed by Concurrent MAVEN, Swarm‐C, and GOES Observations

AbstractThe responses of Earth's and Mars' thermospheric densities to quasi‐periodic (∼27‐day) solar rotation variations in flux were measured contemporaneously by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, and Swarm‐C satellites. While large solar rotation variability is found in both planetary thermospheres, correlation analyses performed on over 6 years of observations reveal that, independently of extreme ultraviolet flux level, Earth's daytime density response is about 10%–50% larger than Mars' at a similar density level. Important altitude dependencies in the density sensitivity to the solar rotation in solar flux are found in the Martian thermosphere, while the terrestrial thermosphere is shown to exhibit only small (±5%) day/night and latitude variations in the response. Detailed analyses focused on correlative periods in 2015–2016 and 2020 indicate important solar cycle effects in the sensitivities of both planetary thermospheres, with increased slopes under low solar flux conditions. These results provide important new insights into processes relevant to the interpretation of the sources of short‐term density variability in Mars' and Earth's thermospheres associated with solar drivers and point to the need for targeted modeling efforts along with dedicated data analyses to help resolve current unknowns in thermal balance processes.

Positive feedback mechanism between biogenic volatile organic compounds and the methane lifetime in future climates

A multitude of biogeochemical feedback mechanisms govern the climate sensitivity of Earth in response to radiation balance perturbations. One feedback mechanism, which remained missing from most current Earth System Models applied to predict future climate change in IPCC AR6, is the impact of higher temperatures on the emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), and their subsequent effects on the hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations. OH, in turn, is the main sink term for many gaseous compounds including methane, which is the second most important human-influenced greenhouse gas in terms of climate forcing. In this study, we investigate the impact of this feedback mechanism by applying two models, a one-dimensional chemistry-transport model, and a global chemistry-transport model. The results indicate that in a 6 K temperature increase scenario, the BVOC-OH-CH4 feedback increases the lifetime of methane by 11.4% locally over the boreal region when the temperature rise only affects chemical reaction rates, and not both, chemistry and BVOC emissions. This would lead to a local increase in radiative forcing through methane (ΔRFCH4) of approximately 0.013 Wm−2 per year, which is 2.1% of the current ΔRFCH4. In the whole Northern hemisphere, we predict an increase in the concentration of methane by 0.024% per year comparing simulations with temperature increase only in the chemistry or temperature increase in chemistry and BVOC emissions. This equals approximately 7% of the annual growth rate of methane during the years 2008–2017 (6.6 ± 0.3 ppb yr−1) and leads to an ΔRFCH4 of 1.9 mWm−2 per year.

IMS observations of infrasound and acoustic-gravity waves produced by the January 2022 volcanic eruption of Hunga, Tonga: A global analysis

The 15 January 2022 Hunga, Tonga, volcano's explosive eruption produced the most powerful blast recorded in the last century, with an estimated equivalent TNT yield of 100–200 megatons. The blast energy was propagated through the atmosphere as various wave types. The most prominent wave was a long-period (>2000 s) surface-guided Lamb wave with energy comparable to that of the 1883 Krakatoa Lamb wave; both were clearly observed by pressure sensors (barometers) worldwide. Internal gravity, acoustic-gravity, and infrasound waves were captured in great detail by the entire infrasound component of the International Monitoring System (IMS). For instance, infrasound waves (<300 s period) were seen to circumnavigate Earth up to eight times. Atmospheric waves captured by the IMS infrasound network and selected barometers near the source provide insight on Earth's impulse response at planetary scales.

Direct synthesis of time domain pseudo-random 3D electromagnetic response with a band-limited source

Methods based on pseudo-random coded emission technology can effectively suppress the noise in electromagnetic exploration and improve the depth and resolution of the detection. Additionally, the synthesis of electromagnetic response signals excited by pseudo-random code sources can provide not only theoretical data for data processing but also intermediate results for evaluations of field data. Currently, pseudo-random signal simulations ignore the presence of source effects generated by band-limited sources in the Earth's impulse response. Furthermore, the simulation methods are mainly completed based on one-dimensional and two-dimensional formats and thus cannot accurately reflect the pseudo-random response of three-dimensional geoelectric structures. In this paper, 3D pseudo-random electromagnetic signals with a band-limited source were synthesized according to the propagating routine of the electromagnetic field. First, Maxwell's Equations were solved using a three-dimensional time-domain finite volume method. To avoid the singularity of the source and incorporate source effect response, the Gaussian function was introduced to simulate the band-limited impulse sources. The Earth's impulse response was obtained, which contained source effects under three-dimensional geoelectric structures. Then, ideal pseudo-random electromagnetic signals could be composed by convoluting the Earth's impulse response with a pseudo-random source waveform. Since the transmitter and receiver instruments were band-limited, a low-pass filter with a Blackman window was introduced to simulate the instrument's system response. The simulated pseudo-random signals were obtained by adding noise and the ideal pseudo-random electromagnetic signals were filtered using a low-pass filter. By comparison with signals acquired in the field, the correctness of the pseudo-random signal synthesis with source effects was successfully verified.

When Will MISR Detect Rising High Clouds?

AbstractIt is predicted by both theory and models that high‐altitude clouds will occur higher in the atmosphere as a result of climate warming. This produces a positive longwave feedback and has a substantial impact on the Earth's response to warming. This effect is well established by theory, but is poorly constrained by observations, and there is large spread in the feedback strength between climate models. We use the NASA Multi‐angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) to examine changes in Cloud‐Top‐Height (CTH). MISR uses a stereo‐imaging technique to determine CTH. This approach is geometric in nature and insensitive to instrument calibration and therefore is well suited for trend analysis and studies of variability on long time scales. In this article we show that the current MISR record does have an increase in CTH for high‐altitude cloud over Southern Hemisphere (SH) oceans but not over Tropical or the Northern Hemisphere (NH) oceans. We use climate model simulations to estimate when MISR might be expected to detect trends in CTH, that include the NH. The analysis suggests that according to the models used in this study MISR should detect changes over the SH ocean earlier than the NH, and if the model predictions are correct should be capable of detecting a trend over the Tropics and NH very soon (3–10 years). This result highlights the potential value of a follow‐on mission to MISR, which no longer maintains a fixed equator crossing time and is unlikely to be making observations for another 10 years.

Radiation Belt Model Including Semi‐Annual Variation and Solar Driving (Sentinel)

AbstractThe Earth's outer radiation belt response to geospace disturbances is extremely variable spanning from a few hours to several months. In addition, the numerous physical mechanisms, which control this response depend on the electron energy, the timescale, and the various types of geospace disturbances. As a consequence, various models that currently exist are either specialized, orbit‐specific data‐driven models, or sophisticated physics‐based ones. In this paper, we present a new approach for radiation belt modeling using Machine Learning methods driven solely by Solar wind speed and pressure, Solar flux at 10.7 cm, and the angle controlling the Russell‐McPherron effect (θRM). We show that the model can successfully reproduce and predict the electron fluxes of the outer radiation belt in a broad energy (0.033–4.062 MeV) and L‐shell (2.5–5.9) range, and moreover, it can capture the long‐term modulation of the semi‐annual variation. We also show that the model can generalize well and provide successful predictions, even outside of the spatio‐temporal range it has been trained with, using 0.8 MeV electron flux measurements from GOES‐15/EPEAD at a geostationary orbit.

Multiscale gravity measurements to characterize 2020 flood events and their spatio-temporal evolution in Yangtze river of China

In 2020 summer, excessive rainfall pushed rivers and lakes to record high levels over the Yangtze River Basin (YRB), but the five flood peaks were absorbed by the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Mass migration in hydrological processes usually causes the Earth's gravity response, wherefore the 2020 flood events provide a good opportunity to assess the capabilities of gravity measurements in capturing the water mass changes at different scales. In this study, we presents two common gravity measurements (i.e., the satellite mission GRACE-FO and the ground gPhone) used to characterize the evolution of regional floods at a basin- and local- scale, which can be attributed to East Asian rainy season (commonly called “plum rain”) event, i.e., extreme climate-induced effects of the regional water balance, and floodwater absorbed by the reservoir, i.e., the man-made Three Gorges Dam (TGD) intercepting flood peaks. The terrestrial water storage (TWS) estimated by GRACE-FO shows a significant positive anomaly (e.g., ∼370 mm in July and August) in around the TGR. The gPhone measured gravity residual of 10–20 µgal between May and September. The results further suggest that GRACE observation does not have obvious advantages in small-scale TWS monitoring, but gPhone records is difficult to detect the source of the TWS mass change 50 km away. In particular, gPhone recorded the high-frequency gravity disturbance directly related to the high outflow (i.e., >31,000 m3/s) of TGD flood discharge, which is likely used as precursor or co-seismic signal to further study the activity of surface landslide and underground faults induced by the vibration or noise source of the water body. This study shows that the combination of multiscale gravity solutions can potentially detect a wide range of extreme climate events triggered by atmospheric circulation patterns, like El Niño Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean basin warming accompanied by Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and wind anomalies.

Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration

Accurately reconstructing past sea level is key to simulating potential migration pathways of ancient hominins, including early Homo sapiens. Models of ancient human migration events commonly construct estimates of paleoenvironments using the “bathtub” model, in which sea level is assumed to rise and fall according to a “eustatic” (global average) value over time. However, large uncertainties exist on past ice sheet sizes and shapes, particularly prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), ∼26,000 years ago. Moreover, regional sea level varies significantly due to the effects of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). That process includes Earth's gravitational, deformational, and rotational response to changing surface (ice plus ocean) loads across the ice age. Here, we offer an updated account of the physics of GIA-induced sea-level change and consider the impacts of these effects, together with a newly published ice sheet history, on sea-level changes across the last glacial cycle. As illustrations, we highlight the significance of these issues for studies of ancient human migration from Sunda to Sahul and for the timing of the final, post-LGM flooding of the Strait of Dover. These examples demonstrate the importance of incorporating updated ice sheet histories and accurate sea-level physics into archaeological research.

Satellite-derived quantification of the diurnal and annual dynamics of land surface temperature

The diurnal and annual cycles of Earth drive the land surface temperature (LST) variations in space and time but their combined effects are conveyed differently from place to place as a function of climate, local weather conditions, and surface characteristics. Fitting a model of the diurnal or annual LST cycle (DTC and ATC, respectively) to satellite data yields several parameters that summarize the thermal dynamics of each pixel. These parameters are distinct for each place and reveal how the ATC and DTC differ between pixels. Currently, due to the lack of LST with high spatial and temporal resolution, it is impossible to characterize both cycles at kilometer or sub-kilometer scale. This work addresses this problem and presents a method for simultaneously quantifying the annual and diurnal LST dynamics at kilometer scale. The proposed method is based on Annual Cycle Parameters (ACP) retrieved from geostationary satellite data for every 30 min between 00:00 and 23:30 local time and uses statistical downscaling to enhance their coarse spatial resolution. We apply our method to continental Europe for the period 2009–2013 and validate it using independent ACP retrieved from satellite and in-situ LST. Our results reveal how the climate and surface conditions influence the shape of the ACP diurnal profiles over Europe and illustrate for the first time the excellent agreement between satellite-derived ACP and ACP derived from in-situ LST. Even though our method is limited by the spatial coverage of the geostationary data, it provides a novel way for describing Earth's thermal response to solar heating.

Intensified organic carbon burial on the Australian shelf after the Middle Pleistocene transition

The Middle Pleistocene Transition (MPT) represents a major change in Earth's climate state, exemplified by the switch from obliquity-dominated to ∼100-kyr glacial/interglacial cycles. To date, the causes of this significant change in Earth's climatic response to orbital forcing are not fully understood. Nonetheless, this transition represents an intrinsic shift in Earth's response to orbital forcing, without fundamental changes in the astronomical rhythms. This study presents new high-resolution records of International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1460 (eastern Indian Ocean, 27°S), including shallow marine productivity and organic matter flux reconstructions. The proxy series covers the interval between 1.1 and 0.6 Ma and provides insights into Pleistocene Leeuwin Current dynamics along the West Australian shelf. The large >45 m global sea level drop during the marine isotope stage (MIS) 22–24 is marked in our data, suggesting that the MPT led to large-scale changes in Indian Ocean circulation patterns and surface water conditions. We consider shelf exposure (and thus the “Sahul-Indian Ocean Bjerknes mechanism”) as a possible key process to increase the upwelling of nutrient-rich sub-Antarctic Mode waters through the Leeuwin Undercurrent along the Australian shelf. We conclude that the shoaling of nutrient-rich lower-thermocline waters enhanced mid-latitude productivity patterns in the eastern Indian Ocean across the 900-ka event.

The Viscosity of the Top Third of the Lower Mantle Estimated Using GPS, GRACE, and Relative Sea Level Measurements of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment

AbstractWe distinguish between two models of solid Earth's viscoelastic response to unloading of the Laurentide ice sheet over the past 26,000 years. The upper mantle viscosity in both models is 0.5 × 1021 Pa s. The viscosity of the top 500 km of the lower mantle (670–1,170 km) in model L17 is 13 × 1021 Pa s, eight times larger than the value of 1.6 × 1021 Pa s in ICE‐6G_D (VM5a). In ICE‐6G_D (VM5a), viscous relaxation of solid Earth was rapid 8,000 years ago and is slow today, with present‐day uplift at the Laurentide ice center being 12 mm/yr. In L17, solid Earth relaxed more slowly 8,000 years ago but is faster today, with present uplift of the ice center occurring at 20 mm/yr. The significant difference is not due to different ice histories given that total ice loss in L17 is just 12% less than in ICE‐6G_D. We determine a comprehensive set of GPS uplift rates for North America that is more accurate than in prior studies due to (1) more sites and a longer data time history, (2) removal of elastic loading produced by increase in Great Lakes water, and (3) technical advances in GPS positioning that have significantly reduced the dispersion in position estimates. We find uplift at the ice center to be about 12 mm/yr, supporting the low value of the viscosity of the top 500 km of the lower mantle in ICE‐6G_D (VM5a), but ruling out the high value in L17.

Nowcasting and Validating Earth's Electric Field Response to Extreme Space Weather Events Using Magnetotelluric Data: Application to the September 2017 Geomagnetic Storm and Comparison to Observed and Modeled Fields in Scotland

AbstractIn the United Kingdom, geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) are calculated from thin‐sheet electrical conductivity models. In the absence of conductivity models, time derivatives of magnetic fields are sometimes used as proxies for GIC‐related electric fields. An alternative approach, favored in the United States, is to calculate storm time electric fields from time‐independent impedance tensors computed from an array of magnetotelluric (MT) sites and storm time magnetic fields recorded at geomagnetic observatories or assumed from line current models. A paucity of direct measurements of storm time electric fields has restricted validation of these different techniques for nowcasting electric fields and GICs. Here, we present unique storm time electric field data from seven MT sites in Scotland that recorded before, during, and after the September 2017 magnetic storm. By Fourier transforming electric field spectra computed using different techniques back to the time domain, we are able to make direct comparisons with these measured storm time electric field time series. This enables us to test the validity of different approaches to nowcasting electric fields. Our preferred technique involves frequency domain multiplication of magnetic field spectra from a regional site with a local impedance tensor that has been corrected for horizontal magnetic field gradients present between the local site and the regional site using perturbation tensors derived from geomagnetic depth sounding (GDS). Scatter plots of scaling factors between measured and nowcasted electric fields demonstrate the importance of coupling between the polarization of the storm time magnetic source field and Earth's direction‐dependent deep electrical conductivity structure.

GRACE—Gravity Data for Understanding the Deep Earth’s Interior

While the main causes of the temporal gravity variations observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) space mission result from water mass redistributions occurring at the surface of the Earth in response to climatic and anthropogenic forces (e.g., changes in land hydrology, ocean mass, and mass of glaciers and ice sheets), solid Earth’s mass redistributions were also recorded by these observations. This is the case, in particular, for the glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) or the viscous response of the mantle to the last deglaciation. However, it has only recently been shown that the gravity data also contain the signature of flows inside the outer core and their effects on the core–mantle boundary (CMB). Detecting deep Earth’s processes in GRACE observations offers an exciting opportunity to provide additional insight into the dynamics of the core–mantle interface. Here, we present one aspect of the GRACEFUL (GRavimetry, mAgnetism and CorE Flow) project, i.e., the possibility to use gravity field data for understanding the dynamic processes inside the fluid core and core–mantle boundary of the Earth, beside that offered by the geomagnetic field variations.