Algorithms for computing the geopotential using a simple-layer density model

Details

• Personal Author:
  Morrison, Foster
• Corporate Authors:
  National Geodetic Survey (U.S.)
• NOAA Program & Office:
  NOS (National Ocean Service) ; NGS (Office of National Geodetic Survey)
• Description:
  Several algorithms have been developed for computing the gravitational attraction of a simple-density layer; these are numerical integration. Taylor series, and mixed analytic and numerical integration of a special approximation. A computer program has been written to combine these techniques for computing the higher frequency components of the gravitational acceleration of an artificial Earth satellite. A total of 1640 equal-area, constant surface density (5° X 5°) blocks on an oblate spheroid is used. The special approximation is used in the subsatellite region, Taylor series in a surrounding zone, and numerical quadrature in the remaining regions. The relative sizes of these zones are readily changed. An auxiliary program can generate all the parameters for different equal-area block configurations. Different orders may be used in the numerical quadrature done in connection with the special approximation. Numerical tests comprising integrations of equations of satellite motion and static gravity simulations indicate the simple-density layer model is not only feasible, but highly practical and very easy to use.
• Series:
  NOAA technical report NOS NGS ; 67-3
• Format:
  PDF
• Document Type:
  Technical Report
• License:
  https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
• Rights Information:
  CC0 Public Domain
• Compliance:
  Library
• Download URL:
  https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/30813/noaa_30813_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 34.69 MB]
• Collection(s):
  National Ocean Service (NOS)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5fd3fdc68b5c0a912a78f8854e8d2a1f60c77dc00253be363d5b428e81dd02bb70ea2ee87eca70484e60ac03be3cc13c4eadea6651220c0e9d6bfeafce9625e8