'It has lumps'

August 31, 2006 10:16 AM

GRACE is fine-tuning our understanding of Earth's gravity. It also shows that Greenland's ice is melting, how the recent Sumatra earthquake changed the earth, and provides information on the world's oceans and climate.
posted by evening (7 comments total)

I still wonder about that lumpiness and its effect (i askme'd about it a while ago)
posted by amberglow at 10:51 AM on August 31, 2006

I like how every natural science project has a catchy acronym.
posted by lpctstr; at 11:20 AM on August 31, 2006

I don't want to complain, because this is a really fascinating post about an interesting mission, but I'd sure love to see some sort of narrative about what magnitude of difference those maps show us. I mean, if I go to southern India, how much less would I weigh?

Although I note that there seems to be no evidence for the Oregon Vortex (as memorably argued for by Mr. den Beste).
posted by norm at 11:34 AM on August 31, 2006

Amazing! :-B Cool post, thank you!
posted by owhydididoit at 11:57 AM on August 31, 2006

GRACE also helped find the Wilkes Land crater, the second largest ever found.

I'd sure love to see some sort of narrative about what magnitude of difference those maps show us. I mean, if I go to southern India, how much less would I weigh?

Gravitational anomaly maps are measured in milligals, the equivalent of 0.001cm/sec/sec variation in gravity. Thus, not much.
posted by dhartung at 12:56 PM on August 31, 2006

Although I note that there seems to be no evidence for the Oregon Vortex (as memorably argued for by Mr. den Beste).
posted by norm at 11:34 AM PST on August 31

Wow, that whole post was total bullshit.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 2:45 PM on August 31, 2006

Launched in 2002? Why wasn't I told?
posted by Cranberry at 3:02 PM on August 31, 2006