Fast and Efficient Lunar Finite Element Gravity Model

Abstract

In this paper, the finite element method (FEM) is integrated with orthogonal polynomial approximation in high-dimensional spaces to innovatively model the Moon’s surface gravity anomaly. The aim is to approximate solutions to Laplace’s classical differential equations of gravity, employing classical Chebyshev polynomials as basis functions. Using classical Chebyshev polynomials as basis functions, the least-squares approximation was used to approximate discrete samples of the approximation function. These test functions provide an understanding of errors in approximation and corresponding errors due to differentiation and integration. These test functions provide an understanding of errors in approximation and corresponding errors due to differentiation and integration. The first application of this project is to substitute the globally valid classical spherical harmonic series of approximations with locally valid series of orthogonal polynomial approximations (i.e., using the FEM approach). With an error tolerance set at 10−9ms−2, this method is used to adapt the gravity model radially upwards from the lunar surface. The results showcase a need for a higher degree of approximation on and near the lunar surface, with the necessity decreasing as the radius increases. Notably, this method achieves a computational speedup of five orders of magnitude when applying the method to radial adaptation. More intrinsically, the second application involves using the methodology as an effective tool in solving boundary value problems. Specifically, this approach is implemented to solve classical differential equations involved with high-precision, long-term orbit propagation. This application provides a four-order-of-magnitude speedup in computational time while maintaining an error within the 10−10ms−2 error range for various orbit propagation tests. Alongside the advancements in orthogonal approximation theory, the FEM enables revolutionary speedups in orbit propagation without compromising accuracy.

Keywords

• spherical harmonics
• finite element model
• lunar gravity model
• chebyshev polynomials
• orthogonal approximation