Geoid Height and Deflections of the Vertical Models

Description

In Gauss' words, the geoid is "the mathematical figure of the Earth". This figure is an equipotential surface coincident with the idealized mean sea surface. The geoid can be computed from the geodetic boundary value problems that use gravity data as its boundary value. A geoid model computed using gravity data is called a gravimetric geoid. On the other hand, geoid height at bench marks can also be computed using data from spirit leveling and the Global Positioning System (GPS). A geoid model that is fixed to the GPS/leveling data is called a hybrid geoid. Both geoid models can serve as the zero-height-surface of a country's height system by selection. To satisfy this need, National Geodetic Survey has published a series of geoid models (https://geodesy.noaa.gov/GEOID). The vast majority of navigation and positioning applications utilize a hybrid geoid model with the latest model being GEOID18 for CONUS and Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands and GEOID12B for all other states and territories of the United States. The corresponding gravimetric geoid for these regions is xGEOID19B and USGG2012, respectively. All models are provided at 1 arc-minute resolution.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
0 Geoid model landing page can be used to access various models, datasets, software, applications, and additional documentation. https://geodesy.noaa.gov/GEOID/
21 Landing page for GEOID API that allows interpolation of various geoid models at user provided geographic locations. https://geodesy.noaa.gov/web_services/geoid.shtml
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39739
0 Landing page for NGS GEOID and DEFLEC models. https://geodesy.noaa.gov/GEOID/
0 Technical report for GEOID18 and DEFLEC18. https://doi.org/10.25923/pc79-0q29
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ngs/dmp/pdf/39739.pdf
0 Geoid model landing page can be used to access various models, datasets, software, applications, and additional documentation. https://geodesy.noaa.gov/GEOID/
21 Landing page for GEOID API that allows interpolation of various geoid models at user provided geographic locations. https://geodesy.noaa.gov/web_services/geoid.shtml
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39739
0 Landing page for NGS GEOID and DEFLEC models. https://geodesy.noaa.gov/GEOID/
0 Technical report for GEOID18 and DEFLEC18. https://doi.org/10.25923/pc79-0q29
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ngs/dmp/pdf/39739.pdf

Tags

  • usgg2012
  • national geodetic survey
  • alaska
  • virgin islands
  • geoid18
  • geoid03
  • terrain elevation
  • national ocean service
  • gravity fields
  • national geospatial data asset
  • doc/noaa/nos/ngs
  • topographic data
  • ngdaid50
  • american samoa
  • united states
  • deflec18
  • noaa
  • guam
  • elevation
  • hawaii
  • interior and crust
  • geodesy
  • mexico
  • geodetic/global positioning
  • geodetic control theme
  • egm2008
  • u.s. department of commerce
  • ngda
  • deflec12b
  • geoid12a
  • ngs metadata library
  • commonwealth of the northern mariana islands
  • land
  • deflec12a
  • puerto rico
  • caribbean
  • geoid12b

Topics

Categories