Abstract
GIS Solutions to Problems in Physical Geodesy
Track: Defense and Intelligence
Author(s): James Beale
The aim of physical geodesy is an understanding of the structure of the Earth's
gravity field. Knowledge of the Earth’s gravity field plays a role in Inertial Navigation
Systems, defining heights, and in monitoring temporal variations of mass within the
Earth.
In this discussion, we focus on the role of GIS in the analysis of local and global
sets of point gravity measurements that are used to develop worldwide gravity models.
We will describe the features of the data and describe a simple data model. We will
describe unique characteristics and features of sample data sets and illustrate the types
of tools required to perform interesting geodetic computations. Finally, we will provide
examples of the physical insight that a GIS analysis can provide into the behavior of
the data.
James Beale
NGA
1227 Big Bend Rd
Manchester , Missouri 63021
United States
Phone: 314-676-0821
E-mail: james.r.beale@nga.mil