Local Geoid Improvement Using GPS and Leveling Data: Case Study
Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 132, Issue 3
Abstract
National leveling height networks have recently been set up in Taiwan, and global positioning system (GPS) observations were carried out at the benchmarks of the networks. The purpose of this paper is to develop an improved local geoid model for Taiwan by integrating a local gravimetric geoid model with the GPS and leveling height data. To overcome the problems of datum inconsistencies and possible systematic errors in height data of different types, the least squares collocation technique was applied. The result from fit of the improved geoid model to the control data at 300 benchmarks shows that a mean accuracy of geoidal heights at a level is obtainable.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The writer is grateful to the Ministry of the Interior, R.O.C., for providing GPS and leveling data and to Professor Hwang for providing geoidal heights.
References
Alsalman, A. S. A. (1999). “Evaluating the accuracy of differential, trigonometric, and GPS leveling.” Surv. Land Inf. Sys., 59(1), 47–51.
Chen, K. H., Yang, M., and Tseng, C.-L. (2004). “Improving local geoid model of Taiwan using TWVD2001 leveling and GPS data: With application to GPS heighting.” J. Surveying Engineering, Chinese Society of Surveying Engineering, 46(1), 1–20 (in Chinese).
Denker, H., Torge, W., Wenzel, G., Ihde, J., and Schirmer, U. (2000). “Investigation of different methods for the combination of gravity and GPS/levelling data.” Proc., Geodesy Beyond 2000: The Challenges of the First Decade, P. Schwarz, ed., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 137–142.
Featherstone, W. E. (2000). “Refinement of gravimetric geoid using GPS and leveling data.” J. Surv. Eng., 126(2), 27–56.
Federal Geodetic Control Committee (FGCC. (1984). Standards and specifications for geodetic control networks. Rockville, Md.
Federal Geodetic Control Committee (FGCC. (1988). Geometric geodetic accuracy standards and specifications for using GPS relative positioning techniques, Rockville, Md.
Forsberg, R., and Madsen, F. (1990). “High-precision geoid heights for GPS levelling.” Proc., 2nd Int. Symp. on Precise Positioning with the Global Positioning System, Canadian Institute of Surveying and Mapping, Ottawa, 1060–1074.
Fotopoulos, G., Kotsakis, C., and Sideris, M. (2003). “How accurately can we determine orthometric height differences from GPS and geoid data.” J. Surv. Eng., 129(1), 1–10.
Heiskanen, W. A., and Moritz, H. (1967). Physical geodesy, Freeman, San Francisco, 206–208.
Helmert, F. R. (1924). Die Ausgleichungsrechnung nach der Methode der kleinsten Quadrate, Auflage, Teubner, Leipzig, Germany (in German).
Hwang, C. (1997). “Analysis of some systematic errors affecting altimeter-derived sea surface gradient with application to geoid determination over Taiwan.” J. Geodesy, Berlin, 71(2), 113–130.
Hwang, C., and Hwang, L. S. (2002). “Use of geoid for assessing trigonometric height accuracy and detecting vertical land motion.” J. Surv. Eng., 128(1), 1–20.
Jiang, Z., and Duquenne, H. (1996). “On the combined adjustment of gravimetrically determined geoid and GPS levelling stations.” J. Geodesy, Berlin, 70(8), 505–514.
Kotsakis, C., and Sideris, M. G. (1999). “On the adjustment of combined GPS/levelling/geoid networks.” J. Geodesy, Berlin, 73(8), 412–421.
Kuang, S., Fidis, C., and Thomas, F. (1996). “Modeling of local geoid with GPS and leveling: A case study.” Surv. Land Inf. Sys., 56(2), 75–88.
Mainville, A., Craymer, M., and Blackie, S. (1997). “The GPS height transformation 1997, an ellipsoidal-orthometric height transformation for use with GPS in Canada.” Rep. of Geodetic Survey Division, Geomatics Canada, Ottawa.
Moritz, H. (1980). Advanced physical geodesy, Wichmann Verlag, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Parks, W. (1999). “Accuracy of GPS-derived orthometric height in San Diego County, California.” Surv. Land Inf. Sys., 59(4), 257–275.
Pope, A. J. (1976). “The statistics of residuals and the detection of outliers.” NOAA Technical Rep. NOS 65 NGS 1, U.S. Department of Commerce, Rockville, Md.
Roman, D. R., Wang, Y. M., Henning, W., and Hamilton, J. (2004). “Assessment of the new national geoid height model—GEOID03.” Surv. Land Inf. Sys., 64(3), 153–162.
Satalich, J. (1996). “Optimal selection of constraints in GPS-derived orthometric heights.” Surv. Land Inf. Sys., 56(2), 103–118.
Schwarz, K. P., Sideris, M. G., and Forsberg, R. (1987). “Orthometric heights without leveling.” J. Surv. Eng., 113(1), 28–40.
Seeber, G., and Torge, W. (1997). “Eine GPS/Geoid-Höhenübertragung zum Meerespegel in Helgoland.” Zeitschr. f. Vermessungswesen, 122(10), 445–457 (in German).
Sideris, M. G., Mainville, A., and Forsberg, R. (1992). “Geoid testing using GPS and leveling (or GPS testing using leveling and the geoid?)” Austral. J. Geodesy, Photogram. Survey., 57, 62–77.
Tsuei, G. C., Arabelos, D., and Tziavos, N. (1996). “Recent geoid computation in Taiwan.” Geom. Res. Austr., 65, 43–58.
Vergos, G. S., and Sideris, M. G. (2002). “Evaluation of geoid models and validation of geoid and GPS/leveling undulations in Canada.” IGeS Bulletin, 12, 3–17.
Yang, M., Tseng, C.-L., and Yu, J.-Y. (2001). “Establishment and maintenance of Taiwan geodetic datum 1997.” J. Surv. Eng., 127(4), 119–132.
Yang, M., Chen, K. H., and Shiao, S. W. (2003). “A new height reference network in Taiwan.” Surv. Rev., 37(290), 260–268.
You, R. J., and Hwang, H. W. (2005). “Coordinate transformation between two geodetic datums of Taiwan by least squares collocation.” J. Surv. Eng., 132(2), 1–7.
Zhong, D. (1997). “Robust estimation and optimal selection of polynomial parameters for the interpolation of GPS geoid heights.” J. Geodesy, Berlin, 71(9), 552–561.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 132 • Issue 3 • August 2006
Pages: 101 - 107
Copyright
© 2006 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 5, 2004
Accepted: Mar 1, 2005
Published online: Aug 1, 2006
Published in print: Aug 2006
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.