Comment on 'Simultaneous gravity and gradient measurements from a recoil-compensated absolute gravimeter'

TL;DR

This paper comments on recent innovations in absolute gravimeters that enable simultaneous measurement of gravity and its gradient, proposing further experiments, discussing model limitations, and exploring potential applications.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis of recent instrument modifications, suggesting experiments to validate improvements and addressing non-linear model limitations in gravity measurements.

Findings

Proposes experiments to assess instrument improvements

Highlights limitations of non-linear models in gravimetry

Discusses potential applications of the modified gravimeter

Abstract

The article (Niebauer et al. 2011 Metrologia 48 154-163) reports on the important innovations enhancing the ability of absolute gravimeter to measure vertical gravity gradient along with the gravity acceleration. This comment suggests experiments to further assess the improvements and the results obtained with the modified instrument, considers some limitations of non-linear models in metrology and ways to overcome them, and discusses possible applications of the described instrument.