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The Gauss–Listing geopotential value W 0 and its rate from altimetric mean sea level and GRACE

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Abstract

In geopotential space, the fundamental geodetic parameter W 0 defines the Gauss–Listing geoid which can be used to best represent the Earth’s mean sea level (MSL) and hence specifies a conventional zero height level to unify vertical datums employed by mapping agencies throughout the world. Further, W 0 cannot be considered invariant as the parameter varies temporally as a direct response to sea level change and mass redistributions. This study determines W 0 and its rate, dW 0/dt, by utilizing altimetric MSL models and an independent mean dynamic topography (MDT) model to define points on the geoid. W 0 and dW 0/dt are estimated by two approaches: (i) by means of a global gravity field model (GGM) and (ii) within normal gravity field space as the geopotential value of the best fitting reference ellipsoid. The study shows that uncertainty in W 0 is mainly influenced by MDT while the choice of methodology, GGM and MSL data coverage are not significant within reason. Our estimate W 0 = 62636854.2 ± 0.2 m2 s−2 at epoch 2005.0 differs by 1.8 m2s−2 from the International Astronomical Union reference value. This study shows that, at a sub-decadal time scale, the time variation dW 0/dt stems mainly from sea level change with negligible effect from gravity field variations. dW 0/dt = (−2.70 ± 0.03) × 10−2 m2 s−2 year−1, corresponding to a MSL rise of 2.9 mm year−1, is evaluated from sea level change based on 16 years of TOPEX and Jason-1 data.

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  1. N. Dayoub

    Present address: Department of Topography, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Tishreen University, P.O. BOX 2230, Lattakia, Syria

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, UK

    N. Dayoub, S. J. Edwards & P. Moore

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  1. N. Dayoub
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  2. S. J. Edwards
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Correspondence to N. Dayoub.

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Dayoub, N., Edwards, S.J. & Moore, P. The Gauss–Listing geopotential value W 0 and its rate from altimetric mean sea level and GRACE. J Geod 86, 681–694 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-012-0547-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-012-0547-6

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