Determination of altitudes of the three main Ecuadorian summits through GNSS positioning

Abstract

Determining the altitude of mountains is one of the most fundamental challenges for humankind. Therefore, the main objective of the study is to determine the altitudes of the three main summits in Ecuador through GNSS positioning, referring to the official vertical datum of Ecuador and the geopotential surface (Wo). The three peaks are active volcanoes named Chimborazo, Cotopaxi and Cayambe, all of which are known to be over 5700 m above sea level. Positioning GNSS was performed on the summit of the volcanoes, and the GPS leveling method was applied on nearby plates. At these summits, the correction of the potential difference between the mean sea level and Wo was used. The altitudes referred to the mean sea level were compared with other registered heights, and the results are more accurate than previous geodetic missions.