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Global Models

Encyclopedia of Geodesy

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Synonyms

Global geopotential model; Global gravity field model; Global model

Definition

In geodesy, by a global model we mean a global gravity field model of the Earth. It is a mathematical function which describes the gravity field of the Earth in the three-dimensional space. The determination of the Earth’s global gravity field is one of the main tasks of geodesy: it serves as a reference for geodesy itself, and it provides important information about the Earth, its interior, and its fluid envelope for all geosciences.

Gravitation Versus Gravity

According to Newton’s law of gravitation (Newton, 1687), the magnitude of the attracting force F between two point-shaped masses m1 and m2 is

$$ F=G\frac{m_1\, {m}_2}{l^2} $$
(1)

where l is the distance between the two masses and G is the gravitational constant. The vector of the attracting force of a body with the density ρ in the volume v acting onto a point-shaped sample mass m at the point P is given by the volume integral:

$$...

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References and Reading

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473, Potsdam, Germany

    Franz Barthelmes

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  1. Franz Barthelmes
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Correspondence to Franz Barthelmes .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geodetic Institute, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    Erik Grafarend

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Barthelmes, F. (2018). Global Models. In: Grafarend, E. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geodesy. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02370-0_43-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02370-0_43-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-02370-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-02370-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Global Gravity Field Models
    Published:
    11 March 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02370-0_43-3

  2. Global Models
    Published:
    24 April 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02370-0_43-2

  3. Original

    Global Models
    Published:
    05 June 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02370-0_43-1

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