GOCE data will improve the understanding and modelling of the Earth’s interior and its dynamic processes, contributing to gain new insights into the geodynamics associated with the lithosphere, mantle composition and rheology, uplift and subduction processes. However, to achieve this challenging target, GOCE should be used in combination with additional data sources: e.g. magnetic, gravity and seismology in situ, airborne and satellite data sets. The overall objective of GOCE+ GeoExplore is to combine GOCE gravity gradients with heterogeneous other satellite gravity information to arrive at a combined set of gravity gradients complementing (near)-surface data sets spanning all together scales from global down to 5 km useful for various geophysical applications and demonstrate their utility to complement additional data sources (e.g., magnetic, seismic) to enhance geophysical modelling and exploration. In order to support the geophysical community, the project generated full Gravity Gradients covering the entire glob, at 225 and 255 km combining GOCE and GRACE data. These datasets are freely available through the web site below:
https://earth.esa.int/web/guest/missions/esa-operational-eo-missions/goce/geoexplore
In addition, the project explored the GOCE gravity gradient potential to support lithosphere modelling through number of test cases. In particular, the gradient data from GOCE provide a homogeneous data coverage with the right resolution to improve and validate models based on traditional data. Using the different depth sensitivity of the individual gravity gradient components, the team derived enhanced structural models over the Arabian Peninsula (Rub al Khali) that describe the density structure in 3D, which depends on composition and temperature of the lithosphere. Consequently, the thermal state of the crust can be estimated which is crucial to understand the heat beneath and in sedimentary basin. Hydrocarbon maturity is mostly limited to the so-called Golden Zone (60-200 degrees Celsius) and the team developed models helped to estimate where this temperature range is located in depth. The team them predict the maturity as a likelihood of the presence of hydrocarbons, demonstrating the potential of GOCE to support georesources exploration.