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The challenge of computing the geoid in the nineties

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Abstract

This paper deals with the basic definitions and the numerical techniques used nowaday in the estimation of the gradiometric geoid. After a first introductory paragraph, the so-called 3-steps remove/restore method is presented. The computation and the use of global models is analysed in Section 2; the computation of topographic corrections, with particular care to the residual terrain correction, is presented in Section 3; the central solution or estimation of the anomalous potential either by solving a Molodensky's problem, or by applying the collocation theory, is examined in Section 4; the restore step is finally presented in Section 5.

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Sansò, F., Sona, G. The challenge of computing the geoid in the nineties. Surv Geophys 14, 339–371 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690564

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