Beyond GEOID12: Implementing a New Vertical Datum for North America Daniel R. Roman, Ph.D. Neil D Weston, Ph.D.
Outline Why isn’t NAVD 88 good enough anymore? Selection of a datum surface (W0) Tide gauges SST/MODT Aerogravity coverage Summary TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy
Why isn’t NAVD 88 good enough anymore? This map reflects the sort of height changes that users could expect if NAVD 88 were replaced with a geoid-based vertical datum. This is only a large scale approximation and should not be used as an absolute guide. Approximate level of error known to exist in the NAVD 88 zero elevation surface TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy 3
Available Tide Gauges TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy
SST, TBM’s and the Geoid P,T,S ≠ constant/uniform Geoid + SST = LMSL (as seen at tide gauge) SST/MODT Local MSL Geoid = “Global” MSL surface TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy
SST (MODT) Models Foreman et al. 2004 Thompson-Demiorov 2006 TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy
Tide Gauge comparisons limited to where SST models exist 62,636,856.00 m2/s2 TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy
Current GRAV-D Coverage GRAV-D: Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy
Summary NAVD 88 is insufficient to meet cm-level needs Must use highly accurate gravimetric geoid New W0 best fits most Tide Gauges SST models remove significant variability in LMSL Same W0 value adopted by IAU and IERS Neglects Arctic but also Mexico & Caribbean TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy
Summary U.S.A & Canada have agreed to use this W0 Will serve as Canadian Vertical Datum in 2013 It is the likely value for U.S. in 2022 GRAV-D aerogravity will bridge gap Satellite gravity models will provide unification Surface gravity & DEM’s give high frequency Aim is for cm-level accuracy in geoid and GNSS TSC04B: Heights, Geoid, & Gravity Paper 5691, 08 May 2012, 0900 F.I.G. Working Week 2012 6-10 May 2012 Rome, Italy