scholarly journals A Precise Geoid Model for Africa: AFRgeo2019

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussein A. Abd-Elmotaal ◽  
Norbert Kühtreiber ◽  
Kurt Seitz ◽  
Bernhard Heck

Abstract In the framework of the IAG African Geoid Project, an attempt towards a precise geoid model for Africa is presented in this investigation. The available gravity data set suffers from significantly large data gaps. These data gaps are filled using the EIGEN-6C4 model on a 15′× 15′ grid prior to the gravity reduction scheme. The window remove-restore technique (Abd-Elmotaal and Kühtreiber, Phys Chem Earth Pt A 24(1):53–59, 1999; J Geod 77(1–2):77–85, 2003) has been used to generate reduced anomalies having a minimum variance to minimize the interpolation errors, especially at the large data gaps. The EIGEN-6C4 global model, complete to degree and order 2190, has served as the reference model. The reduced anomalies are gridded on a 5′× 5′ grid employing an un-equal weight least-squares prediction technique. The reduced gravity anomalies are then used to compute their contribution to the geoid undulation employing Stokes’ integral with Meissl (Preparation for the numerical evaluation of second order Molodensky-type formulas. Ohio State University, Department of Geodetic Science and Surveying, Rep 163, 1971) modified kernel for better combination of the different wavelengths of the earth’s gravity field. Finally the restore step within the window remove-restore technique took place generating the full gravimetric geoid. In the last step, the computed geoid is fitted to the DIR_R5 GOCE satellite-only model by applying an offset and two tilt parameters. The DIR_R5 model is used because it turned out that it represents the best available global geopotential model approximating the African gravity field. A comparison between the geoid computed within the current investigation and the existing former geoid model AGP2003 (Merry et al., A window on the future of geodesy. International Association of Geodesy Symposia, vol 128, pp 374–379, 2005) for Africa has been carried out.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 2066
Author(s):  
Alessandra Borghi ◽  
Riccardo Barzaghi ◽  
Omar Al-Bayari ◽  
Suhail Al Madani

In 2014, the Jeddah Municipality made a call for an estimate of a centimetric precision geoid model to be used for engineering and surveying applications, because the regional geoid model available at that time did not reach a sufficient precision. A project was set up to this end and dedicated sets of gravity and Global Positioning System (GPS)/levelling data were acquired in the framework of this project. In this paper, a thorough analysis of these newly acquired data and of the last available Global Gravity Field Models (GGMs) has been done in order to obtain a geoid undulation estimate with the prescribed precision. In the framework of the Remove–Compute–Restore (RCR) approach, the collocation method was used to obtain the height anomaly estimation that was then converted to geoid undulation. The remove and restore steps of the RCR approach were based on GGMs, derived from the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) dedicated gravity satellite missions, which were used to improve the long wavelength components of the Earth’s gravity field. Furthermore, two different quasi-geoid collocation estimates were computed, based on gravity data only and on gravity plus GPS/levelling data (the so-called hybrid estimate). The best solutions were obtained with the hybrid geoid estimate. This was tested by comparison with an independent set of GPS/levelling geoid undulations that were not included in the computed solutions. By these tests, the precision of the hybrid geoid is estimated to be 3.7 cm. This precision proved to be better, by a factor of two, than the corresponding one estimated from the pure gravimetric geoid. This project has been also useful to verify the importance and reliability of GGMs developed from the last satellite gravity missions (GOCE and GRACE) that have significantly improved our knowledge of the long wavelength components of the Earth’s gravity field, especially in areas with poor coverage of terrestrial gravity data. In fact, the geoid models based on satellite-only GGMs proved to have a better performance, despite the lower spatial resolution with respect to high-resolution models (i.e., Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM2008)).


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. E. Sjöberg ◽  
A. Gidudu ◽  
R. Ssengendo

AbstractFor many developing countries such as Uganda, precise gravimetric geoid determination is hindered by the low quantity and quality of the terrestrial gravity data. With only one gravity data point per 65 km2, gravimetric geoid determination in Uganda appears an impossible task. However, recent advances in geoid modelling techniques coupled with the gravity-field anomalies from the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) satellite mission have opened new avenues for geoid determination especially for areas with sparse terrestrial gravity. The present study therefore investigates the computation of a gravimetric geoid model overUganda (UGG2014) using the Least Squares Modification of Stokes formula with additive corrections. UGG2014 was derived from sparse terrestrial gravity data from the International Gravimetric Bureau, the 3 arc second SRTM ver4.1 Digital Elevation Model from CGIAR-CSI and the GOCE-only global geopotential model GO_CONS_GCF_2_TIM_R5. To compensate for the missing gravity data in the target area, we used the surface gravity anomalies extracted from the World Gravity Map 2012. Using 10 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)/levelling data points distributed over Uganda, the RMS fit of the gravimetric geoid model before and after a 4-parameter fit is 11 cm and 7 cm respectively. These results show that UGG2014 agrees considerably better with GNSS/levelling than any other recent regional/ global gravimetric geoid model. The results also emphasize the significant contribution of the GOCE satellite mission to the gravity field recovery, especially for areas with very limited terrestrial gravity data.With an RMS of 7 cm, UGG2014 is a significant step forward in the modelling of a “1-cm geoid” over Uganda despite the poor quality and quantity of the terrestrial gravity data used for its computation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 873 (1) ◽  
pp. 012045
Author(s):  
D Ramdani ◽  
A N Safi’i ◽  
P Hartanto ◽  
N Oktaviani ◽  
M I Hariyono

Abstract To use the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) correctly, the height information should be transformed into orthometric height by subtracting geoid undulation from it. This orthometric height is commonly used for practical purposes. In 2015 geoid of Jakarta has been produced, and it has an accuracy of 0.076 m. In the year 2019, airborne gravimetry has been done for the entire Java Island. The area of DKI Province cannot be measured because there is inhibition from Airnav. For this reason, terrestrial gravimetric measurements are carried out in this region by adding points outside the previously measured area. To compute the geoid in the Jakarta region is needed the Global Geopotential Model (GGM). In this paper, the GMM used is gif48. The “remove and restore” method will be used in calculating the geoid in this Jakarta region. Besides that in this geoid calculation also uses Stokes kernel and FFT to speed up the calculation. The verification of the resulting geoid is carried with 11 points in DKI Jakarta Province. This verification produces a standard deviation of 0.116 m and a root mean square of 0.411 m.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arcangela Bollino ◽  
Anna Maria Marotta ◽  
Federica Restelli ◽  
Alessandro Regorda ◽  
Roberto Sabadini

<p>Subduction is responsible for surface displacements and deep mass redistribution. This rearrangement generates density anomalies in a wide spectrum of wavelengths which, in turn, causes important anomalies in the Earth's gravity field that are visible as lineaments parallel to the arc-trench systems. In these areas, when the traditional analysis of the deformation and stress fields is combined with the analysis of the perturbation of the gravity field and its slow time variation, new information on the background environment controlling the tectonic loading phase can be disclosed.</p><p>Here we present the results of a comparative analysis between the geodetically retrieved gravitational anomalies, based on the EIGEN-6C4 model, and those predicted by a 2D thermo-chemical mechanical modeling of the Sumatra and Mariana complexes.</p><p>The 2D model accounts for a wide range of parameters, such as the convergence velocity, the shallow dip angle, the different degrees of coupling between the facing plates. The marker in cell technique is used to compositionally differentiate the system. Phase changes in the crust and in the mantle and mantle hydration are also allowed. To be compliant with the geodetic EIGEN-6C4 gravity data, we define a model normal Earth considering the vertical density distribution at the margins of the model domain, where the masses are not perturbed by the subduction process.</p><p>Model predictions are in good agreement with data, both in terms of wavelengths and magnitude of the gravity anomalies measured in the surroundings of the Sumatra and Marina subductions. Furthermore, our modeling supports that the differences in the style of the gravity anomaly observed in the two areas are attributable to the different environments – ocean-ocean or ocean-continental subduction – that drives a significantly different dynamic in the wedge area.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-247
Author(s):  
Jaime GARBANZO-LEÓN ◽  
Alonso VEGA FERNÁNDEZ ◽  
Mauricio VARELA SÁNCHEZ ◽  
Juan Picado SALVATIERRA ◽  
Robert W. KINGDON ◽  
...  

GNSS observations are a common solution for outdoor positioning around the world for coarse and precise applications. However, GNSS produces geodetic heights, which are not physically meaningful, limiting their functionality in many engineering applications. In Costa Rica, there is no regional model of the geoid, so geodetic heights (h) cannot be converted to physically meaningful orthometric heights (H). This paper describes the computation of a geoid model using the Stokes-Helmert approach developed by the University of New Brunswick. We combined available land, marine and satellite gravity data to accurately represent Earth's high frequency gravity field over Costa Rica. We chose the GOCO05s satellite-only global geopotential model as a reference field for our computation. With this combination of input data, we computed the 2020 Regional Stokes-Helmert Costa Rican Geoid (GCR-RSH-2020). To validate this model, we compared it with 4 global combined geopotential models (GCGM): EGM2008, Eigen6C-4, GECO and SGG-UM-1 finding an average difference of 5 cm. GECO and SGG-UM-1 are more similar to the GCR-RSH-2020 based on the statistics of the difference between models and the shape of the histogram of differences. The computed geoid also showed a shift of 7 cm when compared to the old Costa Rican height system but presented a slightly better fit with that system than the other models when looking at the residuals. In conclusion, GCR-RSH-2020 presents a consistent behaviour with the global models and the Costa Rican height systems. Also, the lowest variance suggests a more accurate determination when the bias is removed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Scheinert ◽  
Philipp Zingerle ◽  
Theresa Schaller ◽  
Roland Pail ◽  
Martin Willberg

<p>In the frame of the IAG Subcommission 2.4f “Gravity and Geoid in Antarctica” (AntGG) a first Antarctic-wide grid of ground-based gravity anomalies was released in 2016 (Scheinert et al. 2016). That data set was provided with a grid space of 10 km and covered about 73% of the Antarctic continent. Since then a considerably amount of new data has been made available, mainly collected by means of airborne gravimetry. Regions which were formerly void of any terrestrial gravity observations and have now been surveyed include especially the polar data gap originating from GOCE satellite gravimetry. Thus, it is timely to come up with an updated and enhanced regional gravity field solution for Antarctica. For this, we aim to improve further aspects in comparison to the AntGG 2016 solution: The grid spacing will be enhanced to 5 km. Instead of providing gravity anomalies only for parts of Antarctica, now the entire continent should be covered. In addition to the gravity anomaly also a regional geoid solution should be provided along with further desirable functionals (e.g. gravity anomaly vs. disturbance, different height levels).</p><p>We will discuss the expanded AntGG data base which now includes terrestrial gravity data from Antarctic surveys conducted over the past 40 years. The methodology applied in the analysis is based on the remove-compute-restore technique. Here we utilize the newly developed combined spherical-harmonic gravity field model SATOP1 (Zingerle et al. 2019) which is based on the global satellite-only model GOCO05s and the high-resolution topographic model EARTH2014. We will demonstrate the feasibility to adequately reduce the original gravity data and, thus, to also cross-validate and evaluate the accuracy of the data especially where different data set overlap. For the compute step the recently developed partition-enhanced least-squares collocation (PE-LSC) has been used (Zingerle et al. 2021, in review; cf. the contribution of Zingerle et al. in the same session). This method allows to treat all data available in Antarctica in one single computation step in an efficient and fast way. Thus, it becomes feasible to iterate the computations within short time once any input data or parameters are changed, and to easily predict the desirable functionals also in regions void of terrestrial measurements as well as at any height level (e.g. gravity anomalies at the surface or gravity disturbances at constant height).</p><p>We will discuss the results and give an outlook on the data products which shall be finally provided to present the new regional gravity field solution for Antarctica. Furthermore, implications for further applications will be discussed e.g. with respect to geophysical modelling of the Earth’s interior (cf. the contribution of Schaller et al. in session G4.3).</p>


1978 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 240-240
Author(s):  
M.P. Ananda

AbstractA method for generating long periodic variations in satellite orbital elements when perturbed by discrete gravity anomalies is presented. The method consists of developing a disturbing potential as a function of orbital and gravity anomaly parameters, and generating partial derivatives of the potential with respect to the orbital elements. The partials are averaged over the period of the satellite to eliminate the short periodic variations. The averaged partials are substituted into the variation of parameter equations to give the mean orbital rates. Classically orbital elements are used in generating gravity field and thus the method is dynamic in nature. The problem is extremely cumbersome and complex when multi-state parameters have to be estimated from a considerably large data set. However, when mean orbital rates are used, the problem reduces to a simple linear static case, where only the gravity parameters have to be estimated, and it is a simple matrix inversion problem. Thus the method developed here was utilized in reducing Appolo 15 and 16 subsatellite radio tracking data to produce a lunar gravity field represented by point masses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 324
Author(s):  
Qiong Wu ◽  
Hongyao Wang ◽  
Bin Wang ◽  
Shengbo Chen ◽  
Hongqing Li

The selection of an appropriate global gravity field model and refinement method can effectively improve the accuracy of the refined regional geoid model in a certain research area. We analyzed the accuracy of Experimental Geopotential Model (XGM2016) based on the GPS-leveling data and the modification parameters of the global mean square errors in the KTH geoid refinement in Jilin Province, China. The regional geoid was refined based on Earth Gravitational Model (EGM2008) and XGM2016 using both the Helmert condensation method with an RCR procedure and the KTH method. A comparison of the original two gravity field models to the GPS-leveling benchmarks showed that the accuracies of XGM2016 and EGM2008 in the plain area of Jilin Province are similar with a standard deviation (STD) of 5.8 cm, whereas the accuracy of EGM2008 in the high mountainous area is 1.4 cm better than that of XGM2016, which may be attributed to its low resolution. The modification parameters between the two gravity field models showed that the coefficient error of XGM2016 model was lower than that of EGM2008 for the same degree of expansion. The different modification limits and integral radii may produce a centimeter level difference in global mean square error, while the influence of the truncation error caused by the integral was at the millimeter level. The terrestrial gravity data error accounted for the majority of the global mean square error. The optimal least squares modification obtained the minimum global mean square error, and the global mean square error calculated based on XGM2016 model was reduced by about 1~3 cm compared with EGM2008. The refined geoid based on the two gravity field models indicated that both KTH and RCR method can effectively improve the STD of the geoid model from about six to three centimeters. The refined accuracy of EGM2008 model using RCR and KTH methods is slightly better than that of XGM2016 model in the plain and high mountain areas after seven-parameter fitting. EGM2008 based on the KTH method was the most precise at ± 2.0 cm in the plain area and ± 2.4 cm in the mountainous area. Generally, for the refined geoid based on the two Earth gravity models, KTH produced results similar to RCR in the plain area, and had relatively better performance for the mountainous area where terrestrial gravity data is sparse and unevenly distributed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.I. Apeh ◽  
E.C. Moka ◽  
V.N. Uzodinma

Abstract Spherical harmonic expansion is a commonly applied mathematical representation of the earth’s gravity field. This representation is implied by the potential coeffcients determined by using elements/parameters of the field observed on the surface of the earth and/or in space outside the earth in the spherical harmonic expansion of the field. International Centre for Gravity Earth Models (ICGEM) publishes, from time to time, Global Gravity Field Models (GGMs) that have been developed. These GGMs need evaluation with terrestrial data of different locations to ascertain their accuracy for application in those locations. In this study, Bouguer gravity anomalies derived from a total of eleven (11) recent GGMs, using sixty sample points, were evaluated by means of Root-Mean-Square difference and correlation coeficient. The Root-Mean-Square differences of the computed Bouguer anomalies from ICGEMwebsite compared to their positionally corresponding terrestrial Bouguer anomalies range from 9.530mgal to 37.113mgal. Additionally, the correlation coe_cients of the structure of the signal of the terrestrial and GGM-derived Bouguer anomalies range from 0.480 to 0.879. It was observed that GECO derived Bouguer gravity anomalies have the best signal structure relationship with the terrestrial data than the other ten GGMs. We also discovered that EIGEN-6C4 and GECO derived Bouguer anomalies have enormous potential to be used as supplements to the terrestrial Bouguer anomalies for Enugu State, Nigeria.


2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdalla ◽  
Robert Tenzer

We compile a new geoid model at the computation area of New Zealand and its continental shelf using the method developed at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. This method utilizes the least-squares modification of the Stokes integral for the biased, unbiased, and optimum stochastic solutions. The modified Bruns-Stokes integral combines the regional terrestrial gravity data with a global geopotential model (GGM). Four additive corrections are calculated and applied to the approximate geoid heights in order to obtain the gravimetric geoid. These four additive corrections account for the combined direct and indirect effects of topography and atmosphere, the contribution of the downward continuation reduction, and the formulation of the Stokes problem in the spherical approximation. The gravimetric geoid model is computed using two heterogonous gravity data sets: the altimetry-derived gravity anomalies from the DNSC08 marine gravity database (offshore) and the ground gravity measurements from the GNS Science gravity database (onshore). The GGM coefficients are taken from EIGEN-GRACE02S complete to degree 65 of spherical harmonics. The topographic heights are generated from the 1×1 arc-sec detailed digital terrain model (DTM) of New Zealand and from the 30×30 arc-sec global elevation data of SRTM30_PLUS V5.0. The least-squares analysis is applied to combine the gravity and GPS-levelling data using a 7-parameter model. The fit of the KTH geoid model with GPS-levelling data in New Zealand is 7 cm in terms of the standard deviation (STD) of differences. This STD fit is the same as the STD fit of the NZGeoid2009, which is the currently adopted official quasigeoid model for New Zealand. Santrauka Stokholmo Karališkajame technologijos institute (KTH) sukurtu metodu apskaičiuotas naujas Naujosios Zelandijos ir kontinentinio šelfo geoido modelis. Taikoma Stokso integralo mažiausiųjų kvadratų modifikacija, įvertinant paklaidas ir jų nevertinant bei ieškant optimalių stochastinių sprendinių. Modifikuotas Bruno ir Stokso integralas sieja regioninius žemyninius gravimetrinius duomenis su globaliuoju geopotencialo modeliu (GGM). Gravimetriniam geoidui gauti skaičiuojamos keturios papildomos pataisos: topografinės situacijos ir atmosferos tiesioginės ir netiesioginės įtakos, redukcijos įtakos ir Stokso integralo taikymo sferiniam paviršiui. Gravimetrinis geoido modelis apskaičiuotas pagal du duomenų rinkinius: DNSC08 jūrinių gravimetrinių duomenų bazėje (šelfas) esančias altimetriniu metodu nustatytas sunkio pagreičio anomalijas ir žemyninės dalies gravimetrinių matavimų duomenis iš GNS gravimetrinės duomenų bazės (pakrantė). GGM koeficientai imti iš EIGEN-GRACE02S modelio sferinių iki 65 laipsnio harmonikų. Topografiniai aukščiai sugeneruoti iš Naujosios Zelandijos 1×1 sekundės detaliojo skaitmeninio reljefo modelio ir iš 30×30 sekundžių globaliojo aukščių modelio SRTM30_PLUS V5.0. Gravimetriniams ir GPS niveliacijos duomenims sujungti taikytas mažiausiųjų kvadratų 7 parametrų metodas. KTH metodu sudaryto geoido modelio vidutinė kvadratinė paklaida 7 cm. Tai sutampa su NZGeoid 2009 geoido modelio, taikomo Naujoje Zelandijoje, tikslumu. Резюме Модель геоида континентального шельфа Новой Зеландии построена с применением метода, созданного в Королевском технологическом институте Стокгольма. Данный метод основан на модификации решения интеграла Стокса методом наименьших квадратов с оценкой или без оценки погрешностей и поиском оптимальных статистических решений. Модифицированный интеграл БрунаСтокса объединяет региональные надземные гравиметрические данные с глобальной геопотенциальной моделью (GGM). Для определения гравиметрического геоида вычисляются дополнительные поправки прямого и косвенного влияния топографии и атмосферы, редукции и применения проблемы Стокса для сферической поверхности. Гравиметрическая модель геоида вычисляется на основе двух баз данных: альтиметрическим методом определенных аномалий силы тяжести в базе морских гравиметрических данных DNSC08 (шельф) и надземной части гравиметрических измерений из базы данных GNS. Коэффициенты GGM взяты из сферических гармоник до 65 степени модели EIGENGRACEO2S. Топографические высоты сгенерированы из детальной цифровой модели рельефа Новой Зеландии с сеткой 1×1 секунду и из глобальной модели высот SRTM30_PLUSv5.0 с сеткой 30×30 секунд. Для объединения гравиметрических и GPSнивелирных данных применялся метод наименьших квадратов с 7 параметрами. Среднеквадратическая погрешность модели геоида, созданной по методу КТН, равна 7 см. Точность аналогична точности применяемой в Новой Зеландии модели геоида NZGeoid2009.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document