Assessment of high-degree reference models and Recent Goce/Grace Global Geopotential Models over Sudan based on the GPS/Leveling data

Abstract

Nowadays, Global Geopotential Models (GGMs) can be used as a reference to develop more detailed regional/local geoids, or they can be used to provide geoid heights on their own. Since 2000, several GGMs have been released, and they are mainly derived from satellite gravity measurements, satellite-only models, terrestrial gravimetry, altimeter-derived gravity data in marine areas, and airborne gravity data. With a precise geoid model, ellipsoidal heights obtained from GPS can be converted to orthometric heights, which is reasonably quite needed in Geodesy, Civil Engineering, etc. These heights reflect changes in topography as well as local variations in gravity. This paper evaluates some of the latest releases of high degree reference models and the satellite-only global gravity field model over Sudan using 19 GPS/Leveling stations. We have been selected 6 GGMs based on Gravity field Goce and Grace, and they released in 2020, 2019, 2014, 2008, and 1996 as shown in the International Centre for Global Earth Models website (ICGEM). The accuracy evaluation of the GGM models have been discussed, the accurate GGMs over Sudan are XGM2019e_2159 and GOCO05s, which have indicated -0.019 and 0.046 meters, respectively. The evaluation results produce valuable information to academia and geoid modeling research topics in Sudan, which shows the precise model from the selected GGMs in Sudan by using the available GPS/Leveling data.