Unified European gravity reference network 2002 (UEGN02) - status 2004

Abstract

The last previous realisation of the Unified European Gravity Reference Network was completed in 1994 (UEGN94) covering 11 West European countries. Since that time significant work has been done e.g. in the frame of the UNIGRACE project that focused on the establishment of absolute gravity stations in Central and East European countries. The past European Subcommission of the IGGC recommended to continue with the unification of the gravity reference networks at the continental level. During the IAG2001 Scientific Assembly in Budapest, it was decided to establish a new continental gravimetric reference network. The total UEGN2002 network area covers 25 countries, the number of stations expected was around 1000, but has already exeeded this number. The data processing starts from raw absolute and relative gravity observations. The tidal corrections are computed by the ECGS in Luxembourg in a uniform manner and based on state-of-the-art models. At the current status (2004) the work is focused on 12 countries with 404 absolute and 33000 relative gravity observations at some 1500 stations. Main problems are data bugs. Hence, appropriate tools had to be developed. The paper presents details of the adjustment, earth tide corrections as well as analyses of the data and adjusted gravity values. After this partial UEGN02 adjustment, the remaining countries that also showed their interest to participate are again invited to submit data.