Evaluation of the Prospects and Resolution of Global Ultra-High-Degree Models of the Earth's Gravitational Field

Abstract

In this paper, the issues of modeling the Earth's gravitational field, the accuracy of modern models and the prospects for their further development are discussed. Ultra-high-degree combined models and their constituent parts that form these models in different frequency ranges were studied. The special attention is given to satellite methods that form the low-frequency basis of the combined ultra-high-degree model and to the satellite altimetry method, as the most effective means of obtaining high-frequency data on the global gravitational field in the waters of the World Ocean. The most typical areas of localization of model errors associated with the field gradient are identified and a method for predicting such areas for the preliminary assessment of the practical application of model data is proposed. Also, as a result of the analysis, the prospects of modeling the global gravity field on the basis of satellite methods were confirmed and directions for improving the methods for creating promising combined ultra-high-degree models were determined.