Accuracy of gravimetric deflections of the vertical and optimization of gravity networks

In order to solve the problems of determining the shape of a part of the earth of national or continental extent, that is, of rigorous constituting and computing of the astrogeodetic network, it is required to determine gravimetric deflections of the vertical with an accuracy of, say, 0″.3. For this it is adequate to carry out additional gravity surveys in the neighborhoods of computation points, in addition to a given uniform gravity survey (normal density gravity survey). The study offers a method to determine the optimal distribution of gravity stations in such a gravity survey, which guarantees a given accuracy of computed gravimetric deflections of the vertical for a given statistical condition which characterizes the variation of the gravity field. The approach used here is based on the concept of the error of representation and the error propagation of Vening Meinesz integrals.     

基于逆Vening-Meinesz公式的测高重力中央区效应精密计算

为提高利用逆Vening-Meinesz公式反演测高重力中央区效应的精度,视中央区为矩形域,将垂线偏差分量表示成双二次多项式插值形式,引入非奇异变换,推导出了重力异常的计算公式。以低纬度区域2′×2′的垂线偏差实际数据为背景场进行了计算,结果表明,当中央区包含4个网格时,传统公式与推导出的重力异常计算公式误差的最大值大于1 mGal。推导出的公式可为高精度测高重力中央区效应的计算提供理论依据。     

Evaluation of deflections of the vertical using topographic-isostatic and astrogeodetic data for the area of Greece

The evaluation of deflections of the vertical for the area of Greece is attempted using a combination of topographic and astrogeodetic data. Tests carried out in the area bounded by 35°≤ϕ≤42°, 19°≤λ≤27° indicate that an accuracy of ±3″.3 can be obtained in this area for the meridian and prime vertical deflection components when high resolution topographic data in the immediate vicinity of computation points are used, combined with high degree spherical harmonic expansions of the geopotential and isostatic reduction potential. This accuracy is about 25% better than the corresponding topographic-Moho deflection components which are evaluated using topographic and Moho data up to 120 km around each station, without any combination with the spherical harmonic expansion of the geopotential or isostatic reduction potential. The accuracy in both cases is increased to about 2″.6 when the astrogeodetic data available in the area mentioned above are used for the prediction of remaining values. Furthermore the estimation of datum-shift parameters is attempted using least squares collocation.     

Astronomical-topographic levelling using high-precision astrogeodetic vertical deflections and digital terrain model data

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a technological change took place in geodetic astronomy by the development of Digital Zenith Camera Systems (DZCS). Such instruments provide vertical deflection data at an angular accuracy level of 0.̋1 and better. Recently, DZCS have been employed for the collection of dense sets of astrogeodetic vertical deflection data in several test areas in Germany with high-resolution digital terrain model (DTM) data (10–50 m resolution) available. These considerable advancements motivate a new analysis of the method of astronomical-topographic levelling, which uses DTM data for the interpolation between the astrogeodetic stations. We present and analyse a least-squares collocation technique that uses DTM data for the accurate interpolation of vertical deflection data. The combination of both data sets allows a precise determination of the gravity field along profiles, even in regions with a rugged topography. The accuracy of the method is studied with particular attention on the density of astrogeodetic stations. The error propagation rule of astronomical levelling is empirically derived. It accounts for the signal omission that increases with the station spacing. In a test area located in the German Alps, the method was successfully applied to the determination of a quasigeoid profile of 23 km length. For a station spacing from a few 100 m to about 2 km, the accuracy of the quasigeoid was found to be about 1–2 mm, which corresponds to a relative accuracy of about 0.05−0.1 ppm. Application examples are given, such as the local and regional validation of gravity field models computed from gravimetric data and the economic gravity field determination in geodetically less covered regions.     

Geocentric indian geodetic datum by astrogeodetic — gravimetric method using smoothened geoidal heights

The astrogeodetic—gravimetric method based on the principle of least—squares solution has been used to determine the geocentric Indian geodetic datum making use of the available nongeocentric astrogeodetic data and the gravimetric geocentric geoidal heights in the form of smoothened values. Everett's method of interpolation has been used to obtain the smoothened geoidal heights at the astrogeodetic stations in India from the available generalized values at 1°×1° corners. The values of the geoidal height and deflections of the vertical at the geodetic datum Kalianpur H.S. so obtained have the negligible difference from the values computed earlier by the same method using directly computed gravimetric geoidal heights at the astrogeodetic stations, indicating that the use of the interpolated values in the astrogeodetic—gravimetric method employed would be an economical approach of absolute orientation of a nongeocentric system if the gravimetric geoidal heights are available at 1°×1° corners in the area of interest.     

A strategy for determining the regional geoid by combining limited ground data with satellite-based global geopotential and topographical models: a case study of Iran

The computation of regional gravimetric geoid models with reasonable accuracy, in developing countries, with sparse data is a difficult task that needs great care. Here we investigate the procedure for gathering, evaluating and combining different data for the determination of a gravimetric geoid model for Iran, where limited ground gravity data are available. Heterogeneous data, including gravity anomalies, the high-resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission global digital terrain model and different global geopotential models including recently published Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment models, are combined through least-squares modification of the Stokes formula. The new gravimetric geoid model, IRG04, agrees considerably better with GPS/levelling than any of the other recent local geoid model in the area. Its RMS fit with GPS/levelling is 0.27 m and 3.8 ppm in the absolute and relative view, respectively. The relative accuracy of IRG04 is four times better than the most recently published global and regional geoid models available in this area. This progress shows the practical potential of the method of least-squares modification of Stokes’s formula in combination with heterogeneous data for regional geoid determination     

Local characteristics of the gravity anomaly covariance function

Summary Using a data set of 260 000 gravity anomalies it is shown that common characteristics for a local covariance function exist in an area as large as Canada excluding the Rocky Mountains. After eliminating global features by referencing the data to the GEM-10 satellite solution, the shape of the covariance function is remarkably consistent from one sample area to the next. The determination of the essential parameters and the fitting of the covariance function are discussed in detail. To test the reliability of the derived function, deflections of the vertical are estimated at about 230 stations where astrogeodetic data are available. Results show that the standard error obtained from the discrepancies is about1″ for each component and that the error covariance matrix of least-squares collocation reflects this accuracy remarkably well.     

Prediction of vertical deflections from high-degree spherical harmonic synthesis and residual terrain model data

This study demonstrates that in mountainous areas the use of residual terrain model (RTM) data significantly improves the accuracy of vertical deflections obtained from high-degree spherical harmonic synthesis. The new Earth gravitational model EGM2008 is used to compute vertical deflections up to a spherical harmonic degree of 2,160. RTM data can be constructed as difference between high-resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) elevation data and the terrain model DTM2006.0 (a spherical harmonic terrain model that complements EGM2008) providing the long-wavelength reference surface. Because these RTM elevations imply most of the gravity field signal beyond spherical harmonic degree of 2,160, they can be used to augment EGM2008 vertical deflection predictions in the very high spherical harmonic degrees. In two mountainous test areas—the German and the Swiss Alps—the combined use of EGM2008 and RTM data was successfully tested at 223 stations with high-precision astrogeodetic vertical deflections from recent zenith camera observations (accuracy of about 0.1 arc seconds) available. The comparison of EGM2008 vertical deflections with the ground-truth astrogeodetic observations shows root mean square (RMS) values (from differences) of 3.5 arc seconds for ξ and 3.2 arc seconds for η, respectively. Using a combination of EGM2008 and RTM data for the prediction of vertical deflections considerably reduces the RMS values to the level of 0.8 arc seconds for both vertical deflection components, which is a significant improvement of about 75%. Density anomalies of the real topography with respect to the residual model topography are one factor limiting the accuracy of the approach. The proposed technique for vertical deflection predictions is based on three publicly available data sets: (1) EGM2008, (2) DTM2006.0 and (3) SRTM elevation data. This allows replication of the approach for improving the accuracy of EGM2008 vertical deflection predictions in regions with a rough topography or for improved validation of EGM2008 and future high-degree spherical harmonic models by means of independent ground truth data.     

利用垂线偏差计算大地水准面中央区效应的改进方法

为提高利用Molodensky公式反演测高大地水准面中央区效应的精度,视中央区为矩形域,将垂线偏差分量表示成双二次多项式插值形式,引入非奇异变换,推导出了大地水准面的计算公式。垂线偏差理论模型下的分析表明本文导出公式误差为零,而传统公式的误差与纬度以及垂线偏差子午分量与卯酉分量之间的比值有关;以中纬度区域分辨率为2'*2'的垂线偏差数据为背景场进行了实际计算,结果表明在反演计算点本身所在的1个网格对大地水准面的贡献时,传统公式与本文导出公式计算结果差值的最大值达数厘米。本文导出公式可为测高大地水准面的高精度反演提供理论依据。     

Relation between geoidal undulation, deflection of the vertical and vertical gravity gradient revisited

The vertical gradients of gravity anomaly and gravity disturbance can be related to horizontal first derivatives of deflection of the vertical or second derivatives of geoidal undulations. These are simplified relations of which different variations have found application in satellite altimetry with the implicit assumption that the neglected terms—using remove-restore—are sufficiently small. In this paper, the different simplified relations are rigorously connected and the neglected terms are made explicit. The main neglected terms are a curvilinear term that accounts for the difference between second derivatives in a Cartesian system and on a spherical surface, and a small circle term that stems from the difference between second derivatives on a great and small circle. The neglected terms were compared with the dynamic ocean topography (DOT) and the requirements on the GOCE gravity gradients. In addition, the signal root-mean-square (RMS) of the neglected terms and vertical gravity gradient were compared, and the effect of a remove-restore procedure was studied. These analyses show that both neglected terms have the same order of magnitude as the DOT gradient signal and may be above the GOCE requirements, and should be accounted for when combining altimetry derived and GOCE measured gradients. The signal RMS of both neglected terms is in general small when compared with the signal RMS of the vertical gravity gradient, but they may introduce gradient errors above the spherical approximation error. Remove-restore with gravity field models reduces the errors in the vertical gravity gradient, but it appears that errors above the spherical approximation error cannot be avoided at individual locations. When computing the vertical gradient of gravity anomaly from satellite altimeter data using deflections of the vertical, the small circle term is readily available and can be included. The direct computation of the vertical gradient of gravity disturbance from satellite altimeter data is more difficult than the computation of the vertical gradient of gravity anomaly because in the former case the curvilinear term is needed, which is not readily available.     

我国陆海统一似大地水准面构建的三维重力矢量法

基于重力场水平分量-垂线偏差对地形信息敏感的特点,根据边值理论由重力与地形数据确定格网垂线偏差模型,在此基础上,首先利用三维重力矢量-格网垂线偏差与格网重力异常,联合格网高程数据求得格网点间高程异常差,然后通过GPS/水准点的控制,构成紧密的几何条件,进行严密平差,从而获得高分辨率、高精度似大地水准面的数值模型。按照本文方法,利用我国6600多个GPS/水准点、1'×1'的格网垂线偏差、格网重力异常、格网高程数据,整体平差计算了我国陆海统一的似大地水准面模型,经GPS/水准点检核,全国似大地水准面的绝对精度达到了4 cm,相对精度优于7 cm。     

Gravity-field improvement in the Mediterranean Sea by estimating the bottom topography using collocation

The contribution of bathymetry to the prediction of quantities related to the gravity field (e.g., gravity anomalies, geoid heights) is discussed in an extended test area of the central Mediterranean Sea. Sea gravity anomalies and a priori statistical characteristics of depths are used in a least-squares collocation procedure in order to produce new depths, giving a better smoothing of the gravity field when using a remove-restore procedure. The effect of the bottom topography on gravity-field modeling is studied using both the original and the new depths through a residual terrain modeling reduction. The numerical tests show a considerable smoothing of the sea gravity anomalies and the available altimeter heights when the new depth information is taken into account according to the covariance analysis performed. Moreover, geoid heights are computed by combining the sea gravity anomalies either with the original depths or with the new ones, using as a reference surface the OSU91A geopotential model. Comparing the computed geoid heights with adjusted altimeter sea-surface heights (SSHs), better results are obtained when subtracting the attraction of the new depth information. Similar results are obtained when predicting gravity anomalies from altimeter SSHs where the terrain effect on altimetry is based on the new bottom topography. Received: 10 September 1996 / Accepted: 4 August 1997     

在板块边缘的冲撞地区重力场的求定

在陆地上，板块边的冲撞地区一般都是呈现地形复杂，地表和地下的质量分布不均衡、有强烈的地壳运动和构造运动，因此，该地区的重力场（重力异常、垂线偏差，大地水准面）变化剧烈。对它的归算和推估都需要作特殊的考虑。本文以位于欧亚板块和印度板块边缘冲撞地区的珠穆朗玛峰测区的重力场求定为例，进行讨论。     

Modelling position dependent errors in gravimetric deflections of the vertical

Comparisons of gravimetric and astrogeodetic deflections of the vertical in the Australian region indicate that the former are affected by position dependent systematic errors, even after orientation onto the Australian Geodetic Datum. These are probably due to errors in the predicted mean anomalies for gravimetrically unsurveyed oceanic regions to the east, south and west of the continent. Deflection component residuals (astrogeodetic minus oriented gravimetric) at 83 control stations are made the observables in a set of observation equations, based on the Vening Meinesz equations, from which pseudocorrections to the mean anomalies for a set of arbitrarily selected surface elements are computed. These pseudocorrections compensate for prediction errors in much larger unsurveyed regions. Their effects on individual deflection components are calculated using the Vening Meinesz equations. Statistical tests indicate that pseudocorrections computed for four large offshore elements and six smaller elements in unsurveyed areas produce corrections to the gravimetric deflections which make the ξ and η components in seconds of arc consistent with normally distributed populations N (0.00, 0.70²).     

根据多卫星高度计海面高数据推算南中国海及菲律宾海域重力异常

t Gravity anomalies on a2.5 ×2.5 arc-minute grid in a non-tidal system were derived over the South China and Philippine Seas from multi-satellite altimetry data. North and east components of deflections of the vertical were computed from altimeter-derived sea surface heights at crossover locations, and gridded onto a 2.5 × 2.5 arc-minute resolution grid. EGM96-derived components of deflections of the vertical and gravity anomalies gridded into 2.5 × 2.5 arc-minute resolutions were then used as reference global geopotential model quantities in a remove-restore procedure to implement the Inverse Vening Meinesz formula via the 1D-FFT technique to predict the gravity anomalies over the South China and Philippine Seas from the gridded altimeter-derived components of deflections of the vertical. Statistical comparisons between the altimeter-derived and the shipboard gravity anomalies showed that there is a root-mean-square agreement of 5.7 mgals between them.     

国际高程参考系统在珠峰地区的实现

2020珠峰高程测量,首次确定并发布了基于国际高程参考系统(IHRS)的珠峰正高。在珠峰地区实现国际高程参考系统,采用的方案是建立珠峰区域高精度重力大地水准面。利用地球重力场谱组合理论和基于数据驱动的谱权确定方法,测试优选参考重力场模型及其截断阶数和球冠积分半径等关键参数,联合航空和地面重力等数据建立了珠峰区域重力似大地水准面模型,61点高精度GNSS水准高程异常检核表明,模型精度达3.8 cm,加入航空重力数据后模型精度提升幅度达51.3%。提出顾及高差改正的峰顶高程异常内插方法,采用顾及地形质量影响的高程异常——大地水准面差距转换改正严密公式,使用峰顶实测地面重力数据,基于国际高程参考系统定义的重力位值W₀和GRS80参考椭球,最终确定了国际高程参考系统中的高精度珠峰峰顶大地水准面差距。     

第二大地边值问题引论EI北大核心CSCD

在空间大地测量时代,GNSS可以测定地面点的大地高,使重力扰动变成了直接观测量,以重力扰动为边界条件的第二边值问题在大地测量中得以实用化。它的解与GNSS组合正在成为一种颇有应用前景的海拔高测量方法。本文原理性地讨论了有两种不同边界面的球近似第二大地边值问题。第一种以地形面为边界面,给出了高程异常与地面垂线偏差的解析延拓解;第二种以参考椭球面为边界面,将其外部地形质量按照Helmert第二压缩法移至参考椭球面,然后将Hotine函数与从地球表面延拓至边界面的Helmert重力扰动进行卷积,并顾及地形间接影响,最后得到大地水准面高、椭球面垂线偏差、高程异常与地面垂线偏差的Helmert解。在讨论部分,进行了第二与第三大地边值问题的比较,提出了现有重力点高程从正高或正常高到大地高的改化方法,并展望了它的应用前景。     

The spherical horizontal and spherical vertical boundary value problem – vertical deflections and geoidal undulations – the completed Meissl diagram

 In a comparison of the solution of the spherical horizontal and vertical boundary value problems of physical geodesy it is aimed to construct downward continuation operators for vertical deflections (surface gradient of the incremental gravitational potential) and for gravity disturbances (vertical derivative of the incremental gravitational potential) from points on the Earth's topographic surface or of the three-dimensional (3-D) Euclidean space nearby down to the international reference sphere (IRS). First the horizontal and vertical components of the gravity vector, namely spherical vertical deflections and spherical gravity disturbances, are set up. Second, the horizontal and vertical boundary value problem in spherical gravity and geometry space is considered. The incremental gravity vector is represented in terms of vector spherical harmonics. The solution of horizontal spherical boundary problem in terms of the horizontal vector-valued Green function converts vertical deflections given on the IRS to the incremental gravitational potential external in the 3-D Euclidean space. The horizontal Green functions specialized to evaluation and source points on the IRS coincide with the Stokes kernel for vertical deflections. Third, the vertical spherical boundary value problem is solved in terms of the vertical scalar-valued Green function. Fourth, the operators for upward continuation of vertical deflections given on the IRS to vertical deflections in its external 3-D Euclidean space are constructed. Fifth, the operators for upward continuation of incremental gravity given on the IRS to incremental gravity to the external 3-D Euclidean space are generated. Finally, Meissl-type diagrams for upward continuation and regularized downward continuation of horizontal and vertical gravity data, namely vertical deflection and incremental gravity, are produced. Received: 10 May 2000 / Accepted: 26 February 2001     

Quasigeoid and deflection determinations by astrogravimetric methods

The main objective of the present work is to present methods to obtain detailed surveys of the shape of the quasigeoid and of deflections of the vertical from the point of view of three-dimensional constituting and rigorous computing of the astrogeodetic network. The error of an astrogravimetric leveling line in the most general case, i.e., in the shape of a polygon has been estimated. This error can be tested and checked by comparison of gravimetric deflections of the vertical with astrogeodetic deflections, i.e., by computation of the error of astrogeodetic gravimetric deflection of the vertical. The astrogeodetic deflections of the vertical required for the horizontal angle correction in triangulation and traverse are easily obtained by interpolation. An example of astrogravimetric leveling demonstrates the possibility to carry out an astrogravimetric leveling with any required accuracy, for example, with the accuracy of ±1 ml/1000 km. In connection with height determination from PGS a procedure of constituting a well-distributed set of fiducial ground stations by using high-precision astrogravimetric methods together with millimeter-level accuracy astrogravimetric leveling to test various space systems observations has been suggested.