Determination of the Topography-Bounded Atmospheric Gravity Correction for the Area of Poland

Abstract

The standard recommended atmospheric gravity correction is based on the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) approach. This correction introduced into the results of gravimetric measurements reduces, in a simplified way, the influence of the actual atmospheric masses and the atmospheric masses contained inside a reference ellipsoid from the determined gravity anomalies or disturbances. Model of the actual atmosphere used in the IAG approach does not take into account topography as the lower boundary of the atmosphere, assuming that the atmosphere consists of spherical, constant density layers. In this study, we determined and analysed the components of atmospheric gravity correction for the area of Poland and its surroundings, considering topography as the lower limit of the atmosphere. In the calculations, we used algorithms typical for determining the topographic gravity reduction, assuming a model of atmospheric density based on the United States Standard Atmosphere 1976 model. The topography-bounded gravity atmospheric correction values determined were within the limits of 0.748–0.886 mGal and were different from standard, approximate atmospheric correction values in the range of 0.011 mGal for points at the sea level up to 0.105 mGal for points located at an altitude of approximately 2600 m.