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On the combination of high-resolution and satellite-only global gravity models

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Abstract

The issue of combining high-resolution gravity models, based on observations taken on the Earth surface, with those derived from satellite-only observations is of increasing importance, due to the new data provided by gravity satellite missions, CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE. The paper addresses this issue with a twofold purpose. On the one hand, it is an attempt to discuss and assess general concepts, well known in literature, such as achievable resolution, regularization in the least-squares sense or in an infinite dimensional setup, combination criteria, symmetry and block diagonal structures. In particular, as for the symmetry question, a well-defined result, generalizing known facts, is derived. On the other hand, the outcomes of the general discussion are specifically applied to the combination of a high-resolution model (e.g. EGM08) with a GOCE gravity model estimated by the so-called space-wise approach. Small numerical examples are developed to clarify the property of the proposed solution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Politecnico di Milano, DIIAR, P.za Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milano, Italy

    Mirko Reguzzoni

  2. Politecnico di Milano, Polo Territoriale di Como, DIIAR, Via Valleggio 11, 22100, Como, Italy

    Fernando Sansò

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  1. Mirko Reguzzoni
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  2. Fernando Sansò
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Correspondence to Mirko Reguzzoni.

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Reguzzoni, M., Sansò, F. On the combination of high-resolution and satellite-only global gravity models. J Geod 86, 393–408 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-011-0526-3

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