On the uncertainty of height anomaly differences predicted by least-squares collocation

Abstract

Abstract A network of pointwise available height anomalies, derived from levelling and GPS observations, can be densified by adjusting a gravimetric quasigeoid using least-squares collocation. The resulting type of Corrector Surface Model (CSM) is applied by Norwegian surveyors to convert ellipsoidal heights to normal heights expressed in the official height system NN2000. In this work, the uncertainty related to the use of a CSM to predict differences in height anomaly was sought. As previously, the application of variograms to determine the local statistical properties of the adopted collocation model led to predictions that were consistent with their computed uncertainties. For the purpose of predicting height anomaly differences, the effect of collocation was seen to be moderate in general for the small spatial separations considered (< 10 km). However, the relative impact of collocation could be appreciable, and increasing with distance, near the network. At last, it was argued that conservative uncertainties of height anomaly differences may be obtained by rescaling output of a grid interpolation by Δ \sqrt \Delta , where Δ is the spatial separation of the two locations for which the difference is sought.