Comparison of undulation difference accuracies using gravity anomalies and gravity disturbances

Abstract

Errors are considered in the outer zone contribution to oceanic undulation differences as obtained from a set of potential coefficients complete to degree 180. It is assumed that the gravity data of the inner zone (a spherical cap), consisting of either gravity anomalies or gravity disturbances, has negligible error. This implies that error estimates of the total undulation difference are analyzed. If the potential coefficients are derived from a global field of 1°×1° mean anomalies accurate to εΔg=10 mgal, then for a cap radius of 10°, the undulation difference error (for separations between 100 km and 2000 km) ranges from 13 cm to 55 cm in the gravity anomaly case and from 6 cm to 36 cm in the gravity disturbance case. If εΔg is reduced to 1 mgal, these errors in both cases are less than 10 cm. In the absence of a spherical cap, both cases yield identical error estimates: about 68 cm if εΔg=1 mgal (for most separations) and ranging from 93 cm to 160 cm if εΔg=10 mgal. Introducing a perfect 30-degree reference field, the latter errors are reduced to about 110 cm for most separations. © 1980 Bureau Central de L'Association Internationale de Géodésie.