An overdetermined geodetic boundary value problem approach to telluroid and quasi-geoid computations

Abstract

In this paper an overdetermined Geodetic Boundary Value Problem (GBVP) approach for telluroid and quasi-geoid computations is presented. The presented GBVP approach can solve the problem of potential value computation on the surface of the Earth, which when applied to a mapping scheme, e.g., here minimum distance mapping, provides a point-wise approach to telluroid computation. Besides, we have succeeded in reducing the number of equations and unknowns of the minimum distance telluroid mapping by one. The sufficient condition of minimum distance telluroid mapping is also recapitulated. Since the introduced GBVP approach has the advantage of implementing various gravity observables simultaneously as input boundary data, it can be regarded as a data fusion technique that exploits all available gravity data. The developed GBVP is used for the computation of the quasi-geoid within a test area in Southwest Finland.