Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Earth's gravity field

  • Published:
Geophysical surveys Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Earth's gravity field can be determined from gravity measurements made on the surface of the Earth, and through the analysis of the motion of Earth satellites. Gravity data can be used to solve the boundary value problem of gravimetric geodesy in various ways, from the classical formulation using a geoid to the concept of a reference surface interior to the masses of the Earth to a statistical method. We now have gravity information for 10 data blocks over 46% of the Earth's surface and more than several million point measurements available.

Satellite observations such as range, range-rate, and optical data have been analyzed to determine potential coefficients used to describe the Earth's gravitational potential field. Coefficients, in a spherical harmonic expansion to degree 12, can be determined from satellite data alone, and to at least degree 20 when the satellite data is combined with surface gravity material. Recent solutions for potential coefficients agree well to degree 4, but with increasing disagreement at higher degrees.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderle R. J.: 1974,J. Geophys. Res. 79, 5319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Argentiero, P. and Garza-Robles, R.: 1974, Document X-932-74-286, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, 25p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bjerhammar, A.: 1964,Trans. Roy. Inst. Technol. No. 243, Stockholm.

  • Bomford, G.: 1971,Geodesy, Oxford Univ. Press, Cambridge, p. 741.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowin, C.: 1972, Geol. Soc. of Am.,Memoir 132.

  • Boyer, B.: 1974, inApplications of Marine Geodesy, Marine Technology Society, Washington, D.C., p. 417.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dehlinger, P. and Chibaris, E.: 1972,Marine Geology 12, p. 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dimitrijevich, I.: 1972, (abs.)EOS, Trans. Am. Geophys. Un. 53, 719.

    Google Scholar 

  • DMAAC: 1973, Ref. Pub 73-0002, 10×10 Mean Free-Air Gravity Anomalies, St. Louis, p. 100.

  • Emrick, H.: 1974,TR-74-7, USAF Academy, Colorado, p. 43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faller, J. and Hammond, J.: 1974, presentation at meeting of Int. Grav. Comm., Paris.

  • Forward, R.: 1972,Am. Geophys. Union. Mono. 15, p. 239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaposchkin, E. M.et al.: 1973, in E. M. Gaposchkin (ed.),1973 Smithsonian Standard Earth (III), SAO Spc. Rpt. 353, Cambridge, p. 229.

  • Gaposchkin, E. M.: 1974,J. Geophys. Res. 79, 5377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gumert, W. and Cobb, G.: 1970, in W. T. Kattner (ed.),Advances in Dynamic Gravimetry, Inst. Soc. Am., p. 79.

  • Hajela, D. P.: 1974,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 218, Ohio State Univ., 125p.

  • Hammond, J. and Faller, J.: 1971,J. Geophys. Res. 76, 7850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harlan, R.: 1968,J. Geophys. Res. 73, 4675.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heiskanen, W. A. and Moritz, H.: 1967,Physical Geodesy, W. H. Freeman Co., San Francisco, 369p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heiskanen, W. and Vening Meinesz, F. A.: 1958,The Earth and Its Gravity Field, McGraw Hill, New York, 478p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heitz, S. and Tscherning, C.: 1972,Tellus 24, 271.

    Google Scholar 

  • IAG: 1971,Sp. Pub. No. 3, Int. Assoc. Geod., 116p.

  • Iverson, R. and Gumert, W.: 1972, (abs.)EOS, Trans. Amer. Geophys. Un. 53, 893.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahle, H. G. and Talwani, M.: 1973,Zeitschrift für Geophysik 39, 491.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaula, W. M.: 1966a,Theory of Satellite Geodesy, Blaisdell Publ. Co., Waltham, Mass., 139p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaula, W. M.: 1966b,J. Geophys. Res. 71, 5303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaula, W. M.: 1972, in E. C. Robertson (ed.),The Nature of the Solid Earth, McGraw Hill, New York, p. 385.

    Google Scholar 

  • King-Hele, D. G. and Cook, G. E.: 1973,Nature 246, 86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koch, K.: 1974,NOAA Tech. Rpt. NOS62, Rockville, Md., p. 29.

  • Kono, M.: 1974,Geophys. J. 39, 283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krarup, T.: 1969,Publ. No. 44, Danish Geodetic Inst., Copenhagen.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaCoste, L.: 1967,Rev. Geophys. 5, 477.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lelgemann, D.: 1970, Series C.Dissertations, No. 155, Deutsche Geodätische Komm., Munich, 30p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levallois, J. J.: 1972, inProc. 5th Symp. on Math. Geodesy, Ital. Geod. Comm., Florence, p. 53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mather, R.: 1973, Document X-592-73-11, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland., p. 130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mather, R.: 1974, presentation at Marine Geodesy symposium, Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, 11 p.

  • Meissl, P.: 1971,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 163, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, p. 76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molodenskii, M. S., Eremeev, V. F., and Yurkina, M. I., 1962,Methods for Study of the External Gravitational Field and Figure of the Earth, Transl. from Russian (1960), Israel Program for Scientific Translation, Jerusalem, OTS 61-31207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morelli, C. et al.: 1974,The International Gravity Standardization Net 1971, Int. Assoc. Geod., Paris, p. 194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moritz, H.: 1966,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 79, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, AD 653193, p. 140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moritz, H.: 1968,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 108, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, AD 676302, p. 50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moritz, H.: 1969,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 126, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, AD 702859, p. 61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mortiz, H.: 1972,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Sci, Rpt. No. 175, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, AD 749873, p. 133.

    Google Scholar 

  • NASA: 1972, EOPAP,Rationale and Program Plans 2, 335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pick, M., Picha, J., and Vyskočil, V.: 1973,Theory of the Earth's Gravity Field, Elsevier Co., Amsterdam, 538 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1971,Bull. Géod. 101, p. 283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1972,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 178, Ohio State Univ., 32 p., N73-19380.

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1973a,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 200, Ohio State Univ., 58 p., AD 767313/OGA.

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1973b, inProc. Symposium on Earth's Gravit. Field and Secul. Var. in Posit, Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney, p. 51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1973c,J. Geophys. Res. 78, 3497.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1974a,EOS, Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 55, 118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1974b, in G. Veis (ed.),The Use of Artificial Satellites for Geodesy and Geodynamics, Nat. Tech. Univ., Athens, p. 857.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapp, R. H.: 1974c,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 220, Ohio State Univ., 29 p.

  • Reed, G.: 1973,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 201, Ohio State Univ., 164 p.

  • Reit, B.-G.: 1967, Roy. Inst. Technol., Stockholm.

  • Richardson, J. and Lerch, F.: 1974 (abs.)EOS, Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 53, 893.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakuma, A.: 1973, inProc. Symposium on Earth's Gravit. Field and Secul, Var. in Posit., Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney, p. 674.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakuma, A.: 1974, presentation at meeting of Int. Grav. Comm., Paris.

  • Schwarz, K. P.: 1974a,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 217, Ohio State Univ., Columbus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, K. P.: 1974b, in G. Veis (ed.),The Use of Artificial Satellites for Geodesy and Geodynamics, Nat. Tech. Univ., Athens, p. 225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Szabo, B. and Anthony, D.: 1971,Bull. Géod. 100, 179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trageser, M.: 1970, in W. T. Kattner (ed.),Advances in Dynamic Gravimetry, Inst. Soc. Am., p. 1.

  • Tscherning, C. C.: 1974,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 212, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, p. 129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tscherning, C. C. and Rapp, R. H.: 1974,Dept. of Geod. Sci. Rpt. No. 208, Ohio State Univ., Columbus, p. 89, AD 786417/6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, C. A.: 1972, Document X-553-72-472, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, p. 46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, C.: 1973,J. Geophys. Res. 78, 3271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, C. A.: 1974,J. Geophys. Res. 79, 3335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, O. W.: 1974, presentation at meeting of Int. Grav. Comm., Paris, 16 p.

  • Woollard, G.: 1972, in E. C. Robertson (ed.),The Nature of the Solid Earth, McGraw Hill, New York, p. 463.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Geodetic Science, The Ohio State University, 43210, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    Richard H. Rapp

Authors
  1. Richard H. Rapp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rapp, R.H. The Earth's gravity field. Geophysical Surveys 2, 193–216 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01447908

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01447908

Keywords

Search

Navigation