Subsurface Gravimetry Using Rover IMU Navigation Systems Data

Abstract

Gravimetry is a valuable analytical tool for probing density distributions in the subsurface. Extraterrestrial data is currently limited to orbital collection, restricting spatial resolution to tens to hundreds of kilometers. Therefore, surface-based gravity surveys are necessary to study the gravity field and- lateral density variations at a finer scale. Traditional gravity sensors (gravimeters) are rare on science payloads owing to their relatively high mass, fragility, and cost. Inertial measurement units (IMU); however, are included on every rover platform to perform navigation and attitude determination. This project aims to solve this issue by demonstrating the utility in recalibrating the accelerometers contained within an IMU to measure the static acceleration of gravitational fields and, by extension, gravity anomalies induced by subsurface density variations.