It looks like a giant potato in space. And yet, the information
in this model is the sharpest view we have of how gravity varies
across the Earth. The globe has been released by the team
working on Europe's Goce satellite. It is a highly exaggerated
rendering, but it neatly illustrates how the tug we feel from
the mass of rock under our feet is not the same in every
location. Gravity is strongest in yellow areas; it is weakest in
blue ones. Scientists say the data gathered by the super-sleek
space probe is bringing a step change in our understanding of
the force that pulls us downwards and the way it is shaping some
key processes on Earth. Chief among these new insights is a
clearer view of how the oceans are moving and how they
redistribute the heat from the Sun around the world -
information that is paramount to climate studies. Those
interested in earthquakes are also poring over the Goce results.
The giant jolts that struck Japan last month and Chile last year
occurred because huge masses of rock suddenly