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Abstract:
Future satellite gravimetry missions may harvest the potential of highly sensitive quantum sensors. The scope of the DLR-funded project Quantgrav is to explore the potential of quantum sensors in space for the analysis of mass variations in the Earth system, towards a better understanding of global change processes such mass loss of continental ice shields and glaciers, changes in global water cycle and budget, or sea level variations.In this project, different mission scenarios are evaluated, both full quantum gravimetry missions and hybrid missions combining quantum and classical monitoring techniques. In a first step, the error characteristics of potential quantum sensors are described. These are compared to classical observation technologies to determine their benefits. Mission scenarios involving these sensors are then applied in numerical simulations to identify their possible resolution in time and space. The scenarios are then analyzed with respect to their value for science- and service-oriented applications, as a basis for evaluating requirements for a quantum-based gravimetry mission towards a possible future pathfinder mission.Here we present the results of the evaluation of aforementioned mission scenarios for hydrological applications. The focus is on a) the assessment of error characteristics of the scenarios for resolving water storage variations in the 500 largest river basins worldwide, and b) the potential of these missions to identify extreme hydrological events in these basins, i.e., droughts or floods.
