In this study the gravitational gradient changes caused by faulting on a finite rectangular plane buried in a homogenous half-space are computed using an analytical model which is a function of fault parameters. The sensitivity analysis of the analytical model with optional parameters revealed that the model is sensitive to the most of the fault parameters such as slip, depth, dip and is not sensitive to the strike. Also the results show that the model is sensitive to the length and the width of the fault. Moreover, the gravitation and gravitational gradient changes for the case of the Maule earthquake on 27 February 2010 are directly computed by GRACE observations without need to fault parameters information. Since the high-frequency contents in gravitational field variation can be amplified by deriving the gravitational gradients, the GRACE-derived coseismic gravitational gradient changes clearly delineate the fault lines and better define the extent of the coseismic deformation.
