https://phys.org/news/2018-11-views-earth-tectonics.html

OCE measures differences in horizontal and vertical components of the gravity field – known as gradients. These gradients can be complex to interpret and so the authors combined these to produce simpler 'curvature images' that reveal large-scale tectonic features of the Earth more clearly.

Lead author, Prof. Jörg Ebbing from the Kiel University said: "Our new satellite gravity gradient images improve our knowledge of Earth's deep structure. The satellite gravity data can be combined with seismological data to produce more consistent images of the crust and upper mantle in 3-D. This is crucial to understanding how plate tectonics and deep mantle dynamics interact."