The GRACE/GRACE-FO satellites have observed large scale mass changes, contributing to the mass budget calculation of the hydro-and cryosphere. The scale of the observable mass changes must be in the order of 300 km or bigger to be resolved. Smaller scale glaciers and hydrologic basins significantly contribute to the closure of the water mass balance, but are not detected with the present spatial resolution of the satellite. The challenge of future satellite gravity missions is to fill this gap, providing higher temporal and spatial resolution. We assess the impact of a geodetic satellite mission carrying on board a cold atom interferometric gradiometer (MOCASS: Mass Observation with Cold Atom Sensors in Space) on the resolution of simulated geophysical phenomena, considering mass changes in the hydrosphere and cryosphere. Moreover, we consider mass redistributions due to seamounts and tectonic movements, belonging to the solid earth processes. The MOCASS type satellite is able to recover 50% smaller deglaciation rates over a mountain range as the High Mountains of Asia compared to GRACE, and to detect the mass of 60% of the cumulative number of glaciers, an improvement respect to GRACE which detects less than 20% in the same area. For seamounts a significantly smaller mass eruption could be detected with respect to GRACE, reaching a level of mass detection of a submarine basalt eruption of 1.6 10⁹ m³. This mass corresponds to the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. The simulations demonstrate that a MOCASS type mission would significantly improve the resolution of mass changes respect to existing geodetic satellite missions.

GRACE/GRACE-FO 卫星观测到大规模的质量变化，有助于水和冰冻圈的质量预算计算。可观测到的质量变化的尺度必须在 300 公里或更大的量级才能解决。较小规模的冰川和水文盆地对水体平衡的关闭有显着贡献，但在卫星目前的空间分辨率下无法检测到。未来卫星重力任务的挑战是填补这一空白，提供更高的时间和空间分辨率。考虑到水圈和冰冻圈的质量变化，我们评估了搭载冷原子干涉梯度仪（MOCASS：在太空中使用冷原子传感器进行质量观测）的大地测量卫星任务对模拟地球物理现象分辨率的影响。而且，我们考虑由于海山和构造运动引起的质量重新分布，属于固体地球过程。与 GRACE 相比，MOCASS 型卫星能够恢复亚洲高山山脉 50% 的冰川消融率，并检测到 60% 的冰川累积数量，这是对 GRACE 的改进在同一地区超过 20%。对于海山，GRACE 可以检测到明显较小的大规模喷发，达到 1.6 10 海底玄武岩喷发的大规模检测水平 并检测到冰川累积数量的 60% 的质量，这是对 GRACE 的改进，在同一区域检测不到 20%。对于海山，GRACE 可以检测到明显较小的大规模喷发，达到 1.6 10 海底玄武岩喷发的大规模检测水平 并检测到冰川累积数量的 60% 的质量，这是对 GRACE 的改进，在同一区域检测不到 20%。对于海山，GRACE 可以检测到明显较小的大规模喷发，达到 1.6 10 海底玄武岩喷发的大规模检测水平⁹米³。这个质量对应于圣海伦山的喷发。模拟表明，与现有大地测量卫星任务相比，MOCASS 类型的任务将显着提高质量变化的分辨率。