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Accurate formula expressing the difference between the normal gravity and its radial component

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Abstract

A simple formula is presented giving the value of γ−γr to better than 0.001 mgal associated with an arbitrary reference ellipsoid, where γ is the normal gravity and γr is its radial component. Further simplifications of this formula are possible, depending on the desired accuracy. Since in the actual field g−gr equals γ−γr to a good approximation, this formula makes it possible to work in terms of gr rather than in terms of the measured quantity g. Such a choice is attractive mainly because the spherical harmonic expansion of gr is very simple.

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References

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  • G. BLAHA : Refinemens in the Combined Adjustment of Satellite Altimetry and Gravity Anomaly Data. Reportof DBA Systems, Inc.; AFGL Report No. TR-77-0169, Air Force Geophysics Laboratory, Harumom AFB, Massachusetts, 1977.

  • W.A. HEISKANEN, and H. MORITZ : Phydcal Geodesy, W.H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 1967.

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Blaha, G. Accurate formula expressing the difference between the normal gravity and its radial component. Bull. Geodesique 52, 19–23 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02521789

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02521789

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