Quasigeoid evaluation with improved levelled height data for Norway

Abstract

GPS-levelling points are widely used to control gravimetric geoid or quasigeoid models. Direct comparison is often interpreted to reveal the accuracy of the gravimetric model, using GPS-levelling as a reference. However, both GPS and levelled heights contain errors, and in order to achieve a centimeter-accuracy geoid, these should be investigated. The Norwegian Height System NN1954 is known to contain large systematic errors due to postglacial land uplift in the area. In this study, the current height system and two revised versions, corrected for uplift, are applied to compute three sets of control quasigeoid heights in the southern part of Norway. These heights are then compared to various Nordic gravimetric quasigeoid models generated during the last two decades. In contradiction to some earlier studies, the accuracy of gravimetric quasigeoid models for this area are found to improve near-linearly with time. This is in accordance with expectations, since both data coverage and computation methods have progressed during this time. However, this study shows the importance of establishing accurate and error-free control data for geoid comparisons.