Summary
On the basis of the fundamental relations of the Molodensky's Earth's figure theory (1945), admitting the inequality of the gravity potentials at the Major Vertical Datum W0 and on the surface of the reference level ellipsoid U0, and taken into account that potential W0 enters into equations directly, it is recomended, W0 should be adopted as a primary geodetic constant. Parameters of the best fitting ellipsoid are not needed for the solution of geodetic problems and for the investigation of the Earth's gravity field. The reason for requiring the reference and actual fields be close is only that the boundary-value problem can be solved in the linear approximation.
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Dedicated to the Memory of M.S. Molodensky
Contribution to the I.A.G. Special Commission SC3 Fundamental Constants (SCFC).
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Yurkina, M.I. Gravity potential at the Major Vertical Datum as primary geodetic constant. Stud Geophys Geod 40, 9–13 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02295901
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02295901