Evaluation of W0 in Canada using tide gauges and GOCE gravity field models

• Published in: Journal of Geodetic Science
• Main Authors: Hayden T., Rangelova E., Sideris M. G., Véronneau M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter 2012
• Subjects: goce; mean sea level; sea surface topography; vertical datum; w 0; Geodesy; QB275-343; Arctic; Canada
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10156-012-0003-9; https://doaj.org/article/afc95d84c9344752bf4673234991c6ed

The existing Canadian Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1928 (CGVD28) does not meet the needs of the modern user in terms of accuracy and accessibility. As a result, Canada plans to implement a geoid-based and global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-accessible vertical datum by 2013. One of the primary concerns in realizing this new vertical datum is to determine a W0 value that will represent the potential of the zero height surface. The objective of this study is to evaluate W0 by averaging the potential of points on the mean sea water surface utilizing tide gauge recordings and gravity field and steady-state ocean circulation explorer (GOCE)-based global geopotential models. In order to assess the performance of the GOCE-based models for the computation of W0, the models are extended with the high resolution gravitational model EGM2008. Regional gravimetric geoid models are also used for the estimation of W0. Additionally, local sea surface topography models are utilized in order to validate the W0 results at the tide gauges. Excluding the Arctic coast, the W0 values obtained from both tide gauges and oceanic sea surface topography models are not statistically different from the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) 2010 global conventional value 62636856.00 m2/s2.