Chapter 1

History of Geodesy

Stonehenge in UK

Egyptian Pyramids

Ever since man evolved into a thinking creature, he has been interested in
learning about the earth. The various natural phenomena he observed around him,
often with awe of fear, were responsible for his behaviour and gave rise to various
superstitions. These, in turn, encouraged a better comprehension of events which
resulted in many early cultures and civilizations acquiring a suprisingly deep
understanding of some of the natural phenomena, left to us in such obvious forms
of as monuments (like Stonehenge, Egyption Pyramids). The natural phonomena
are related to the size, shape, gravity field of the earth. To understand them it
needs GEODESY.

Together with astronomy, geodesy is among the the oldest sciences, it is the
oldest geoscience.

The development in geodesy can be divided into four chronological sections:

1- Period from Thales till the end of Roman Empire

2- The Middle Ages, The Renaissance till the mid-eighteenth century.
3- Next 200 years, ending with second World War
4- The most recent developments.
1.1 Historical beginnings of Geodesy:

During the Greek era, geodesy was considered to be one of the most challenging
disciplines. Thales of Miletus (625-447 B.C.) involves the first documented ideas
about Geodesy. There are several ideas about the earth’s shape. (Figures1.1-1.3)

Around the end of the 6th century the first known maps of the world was compiled.
The first star maps was prepared by Eudoxus (408-355 B.C) who also knew the
length of the solar year almost exactly 365.25 days. (Figure1.4)

Aristoteles (384-322 B.C) formulated the argument for the sphericity of the earth
and first hints of gravity was considered.

Around the end of the 3rd century the spherical coordinates were introduced.
Aristarchus (310-250 B.C.) attempted to determine the dimensions and distances
of the moon and the sun. About half a century later, the motion of the obliquity of
the earth’s spin axis was introduced.
Eratosthenes can be called the proper founder of geodesy. (Figure 1.5)

1.2 Scientific beginings of Geodesy

In the centuries following the fall of Roman Empire, during the Middle Ages,
geodesy came more and more within the detrimental embrace of theology. (Figure
1.7)

The major explorations got under way at the end of the fifteenth century with
Columbus (1492), Vasco da Gama (1497), Magellan (1519). The expanding
geographical knowledge prompted the growth of a new profession: map making
and cartography. Cartography is the art of displaying the final product of geodesy.
Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) prepared the first maps of North America Pacific
coast and provided a name for the continent. Mercator can be considered to be
the father of modern cartography.

Indications of an impending revival of geodesy can be found in the mid-fifteenth

century. (Copernicus, Kepler, ).
Galileo (1564-1642) progress in theory
Kepler(1571-1630) and the invitation of telescope.

Gravity was introduced by Stevin (1548-1620).

Snell (1591-1626) carried out the first accurate triangulation and study of
refraction.
Picard in 1670 made the first modern measurement of the earth (6275 km).
The Newton’s law of the universal gavitational attraction was the most important
discovery in this era (1687).

1.3 Geodesy in the service of mapping

Networks of points whose horizontal positions were determined from the
measurements of angles and occasional distances, known as triangulation
networks, was started to be used to support the mapping.

Laplace: foundations for modern celestial mechanics, theory of tides.

Gauss: defined the geoid, invented the least square methods.

In the 19th century, most of the tools applied math ematics used in geodesy today
were invented. Euler (1707-83), Lagrange (1736-1813), Fourier(1768-1830).

The beginning of the 20 th century Eintein’s theory of relativity (a further

generalization of Newton’s theory of gravitation) affects the thinking of physicits.

1.4 Geodesy of Modern era

The mid 20th century saw the dawing of the technological revolution. Prompted by
weapons and defence requirements during the 2nd World War, the invention of a
radio detection and ranging system, radar, has had a deep effect on the
philosophy behind geodetic instruments. Developments in the computers provide
numerical calculations. After the war accurate electromagnetic measuring devices
became commercially available for geodetic uses. They first used polarized light,
then radiowaves and finally lasers.

The launching of the first satellites was another giant leap for geodesy. Satellites
also brought about a new project for geodesy: The mapping of the gravity field
above the earth to predict the satellite orbits.

The increased ease and accuracy with which geodesists could determine
positions, as well as, the gravity field parameters, led to new applications, but also
to new problems.

The last important development of geodesy concerns the sea. It helps to satisfy
the steadily growing demand for accurate navigation.

2. Geodesy and other disciplines

It is beneficial to know the relationships of geodesy to other disciplines.

2.1. Applications of geodesy

Surveying is the practice of positioning , and geodesy is the theoretical foundation

of surveying. For centuries, the role of geodesy was to serve mainly mapping.

a) Mapping: There is a need for an areal network of appropriately distributed

points (geodetic control) of known horizontal and vertical positions for the
production of maps.
b) Urban Management: The locations of man’s creations must be defined and
documented for future reference.
c) Engineering projects: Coordinates of large structures, like dams, bridges must
be obtained according to control points. In the case of dam, irrigation channels,
the exact shape of equipotential surfaces of the gravity field should be known.
d) Boundary demarcation: Oil and gas leases in remote and inhospitable parts of
the word can be positioned by relating them to a framework of point with known
horizontal coordinates.
e) Ecology: Movement of ground caused by the removal of underground
resources or subsurface disposal of wastes. The detection and monitoring of
these movements is a geodetic problem.
f) Environmental Management: Transportation, land use, community and
assesment of tax data and population statistics should be based on land
parcels whose locations are uniquely defined in terms of coordinates.
g) Geography : All the positional information needed in geography is provided be
geodesy.
h) Planetology: It uses methods for studying the geometry, gravity fields and
deformations of planets. Practically all of geodesy is applicable to planetology.
i) Hydrography: Positioning at sea, combined with the depth sounding, and
applies many geodetic methods .

2.2. Symbiotic relation between geodesy and some other sciences:

There are many more uses for geodesy then simply mapping. There are some
other scientific fields thet have a two-way relation with geodesy.

a) Geophysics: It deals with the physical response of the earth to a variety of

forces, the internal structure of the earth affecting its motion. This information is
needed when various methematical models for geodetic purposes are being
designed. Gravity is one of the most important sources of information used in
geophysics. It also needs positions and other geometrical information geodesy
can supply.
b) Space Science: It needs the knowledge of the geometry of the earth’s external
gravity field for predicting the orbits of the space vehicles. Space science has
developed some very powerful positioning systems that use the earth’s artificial
satellites, and those are being used in geodesy.
c) Astronomy: Of common interest is the monitoring of the rotation of the earth.
An other part of astronomy , celestial mechanics is also needed in geodesy to
study the satellite orbits.
d) Oceanography: Both are involved in the location and movements of
shorelines. Geodesy provides relative heights of the on-shore water level
measuring devices and their relative vertical movement. Oceanography
provides the deviations of the mean sea surface from an equipotential surface
of the earth’s gravity field. This information is needed for the establishment of a
datum for heights.
e) Atmospheric Science: It looks the effect of the distribution of air density.
Geodesy needs realistic models for atmospheric refraction which represents
one of the most troublesome problems in many geodetic measurements.
f) Geology: requires both horizontal and vertical positions for its maps. It provides
geodesists with a knowledge of geomorphology and local stability of different
geological formations.

2.3. Theoretical basis of geology:

These disciplines provide the theoretical basis for geodesy.

a) Mathematics: The most important building block of geodesy. Algebra, Analysis,

Geometry, Statistics are used.
b) Computer Science: Many of the problems faced by geodesy require a
computer solution. Numerical analysis concepts are needed in geodesy.
c) Physiscs: Gravitational has played a very important role in geodesy. Gravity is
the geometry of the space in which most geodetic observations are taken.
Mechanics is required to understand the motions of the earth and its satellites.

2.4. Functions of Geodesy

Geodesy was defined as ‘Geodesy is the science of measuring and portraying the
earth’s surface’ until a decade or two ago.

Geodesy is the discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of
the earth, including its gravity field, in a three dimensional time varying space’.

- Geometrical geodesy
- Mathematical geodesy
- Physical geodesy
- Dynamic geodesy

Functions of geodesy:

a) Positioning
It is a geodetic task. Points can be positioned either individually or as a part of a
whole network of points.

b) The earth’s gravity field

The knowledge of the earth’s gravity field is needed to make possible the
transformation of the geodetic observations made in the physical space , affected
by gravity, into the geometrical space in which positions are usually defined.

c) Temporal variations
Temporal variations of positions and the gravity field result from deformations of
the earth attributed to a number of causes. The study of these causes belongs to
the geophysics.
The goals of GEODESY:

1- Establishment and maintenance of national and global three-dimensional

geodetic control networks on land, recognizing the time-varient aspects of
these networks.
2- Measurement and representation of geodynamic phenomena (polar motion,
earth tides)
3- Determination of the gravity field of the earth including temporal variations.

Chapter 2
Earth and Its Gravity Field

Instruments with which geodetic measurements are made, on and above the
surface of the earth, are subjected to various physical forces. To interpret the
results of the measurements properly, it is necessary to understand the effects of
these forces.

Gravity is the most conspicious force present on the surface of the earth. Since
basic geodesy deals with either stationary or slow moving objects, the gravitational
theory needed is that of Newton rather than Eintein. The gravity field on and
immediately above the earth surface is dealt with the earth is regarded as a rigid
body.

In the first section, the earth’s gravity field is defined from the physical and
mathematical points of view. The next section is devoted to a description of the
magnitude of gravity and how it is handled. In the third section, gravity potential is
explained and the terms of equipotential surface and plumb lines are defined.

2.1 Gravity Field

Newton’s (1687) law of universal gravitational, states that a body of mass M

attracts another body of mass m by a force F proportional to the product of the two
masses and inversely proportional to the square of their distance ∆r :
Mm
F =G 2
∆r (1)
This force is known as the gravitational force (gravitational attraction). The
constant of proportionality G is known as gravitational constant.
G = 6.67 *10 −8 g-1cm3s-2 (experimentally determined)
Taking the bodies A, B with masses m, and M and considering their dimensions
negligibly small compared with their distance, the following vector equation can be
written (Fig 2 -1) for the gravitational force that B exerts on A.
 v
v Mm v v v l
FB → A = G v v 3 (rB − rA ) e1 = v
rB − rA l
(2)

A(m)
v v v
rB − rA = ∆rAB
v
v rA
rB
B(m)

y
x

Figure 2.1 The gravitational attraction btw two bodies.

If the dimensions of one of the two bodies can not be regarded as negligible: small
body A, the earth B.
z

A
v v
r − rA
BODY B
v
v rA
dB r

y
x

Figure 2.2. Gravitational attraction of a physical body.

Body B is thought as being composed of a number of small massive elements of

volume dB, and the attraction of each of these on A can be investigated
separately. (Figure 2.2)

The mass density within the body σ(r) and dB is chosen small enough so that σ
and dB can be considered constant.
v
v σ (r )(dB) m v v
FdB→ A = G v v 3 (r − rA )
r − rA (2.3)
Gravitational forces are additive (experimentally determined). This means that the
sum of forces produced by the elements dB is equal to the force exerted by the
whole body B.
v
v v σ (r) v v
FB → A = F (rA ) = Gm∫∫∫ v v 3 (r − rA ) dB
v v

B r − rA (2.4)
To study the gravitation, the density distribution σ(r) within the earth must be
known. But such a distribution is known only approximately. From seismic
observations one of the existing density distribution models is given in Figure 2.3.
All of the seismic models assume a perfectly spherical distribution, so the density
is a function of depth only. (distance from the center of mass). The gravitational
force produced by such a model earth is radial. The force generated by this body
always points towards the centre of mass.
gcm -3
12
Density

(km)
2000 4000 6000
Depth
Figure 2.3 Variation of density with depth.
If GM=3.98603*1020 cm 3/s 2, R=6371.031 km then eqn 2 gives the mean value of
the gravitational attraction on the surface of the earth.
v
F = F = 982 .022
(cm/s 2)*m where m = mass of the attracted body (2.5)

Since the real distribution of density within the earth is not only radially but also
laterally irregular and the earth is not spherical, the gravitational force field is not
perfectly radial either. The value given by 5 is only a mean global value. When the
density varies with time, so does the gravitational force. Real variations are minute
and difficult to detect. In all geodetic work the practice has been to ignore these
variations with the exception of the tidal variation.
Even if the earth is assumed to be rigid, it is spinning. The spin of the earth causes
an additional force, centrifugal force. Its direction is always perpendicular to the
instantaneous spin axis.

The magnitude of the centrifugal force acting on aparticle is known to be equal to:

f = pw2 m (2.6)

p: perpendicular distance of the particle from the spin axis

w: earth’s spin angular velocity
m: mass of the particle.
 North Pole
Particle
v
p
v
r C

Eqvator

Figure 2.4 Centrifugal Force

If w=72.921151467*10-6 rad/s
p=6378.160 km

The value of centrifugal force on the equator

f=3,392 cm/s 2 *m

which is about 0.35% of the gravitational force. On the poles the centrifugal force
vanishes.

The sum of the gravitational force and the centrifugal forces is called the gravity
force. The field of this force is shown in Figure 2.5 by bold arrows. Gravity force is
stronger on the Poles than on the equator. The difference would be about 0.35%,
If the earth were spherical. Since the earth is oblate, the difference is even more
pronounced (0.54%).
 NA v
f
v
F
v
r

Equator

SA

Figure 2.5. The gravity force

x y

Figure 2.6. Direction of gravity

It is usual to work with accelerations rather than forces. Summation of eqn 4 and 5

From Newton’s second law, force is the product of acceleration and mass. The
term in brackets must be the vector of acceleration and denoted by g and is called
the gravity vector.
v  v 
v v v σ (r ) v v v
F ' (rA ) = FB→ A * f A = G ∫∫∫ v v 3 ( r − rA )dB + p A w2 ι m
 B r − rA σ (2.7)

The gravity field g gives the complete geometrical picture of the gravity force field.
v v v v
F ' (rA ) = g ( rA )m (2.8)
The gravity field has a magnitude and direction (Figure 2.6). The magnitude is
easier to deal. Units are Gal (Galileo Galilei)

1 Gal = 1 cm/s 2
The mean magnitude of gravity on the surface of the earth is of the order of 980.3
Gal.

2.2. Gravity Anomaly

The magnitude of gravity g can be measured using gravity measuring instruments.

From the measurements gathered from all over the world, the magnitudes vary
globally and regionally as well as locally. The global range of variations on the
surface of the earth is more than 5 Gal (more than 0.5% of averge g). Modern
measurements can measure accurately up to 10 –10 g. The variations are due to:

- different heights of observation points

- the oblateness of the earth
- the uneven lateral distribution of masses within the earth

a) gravity variation with height:

M
g =G
r2 (approved from Eq. 1) (2.10)
dg GM
= −2 3
dr r r: distance from the earth center (2.11)
GM
dg = −2 3 dH
dr ≅ dH gravity gradient in radial direction → r (2.12)

GM= 3.98603*1020 cm 3/s 2, r=6371.031 km

[
dg = −0.308 mGalm −1 dH] (2.13)

The gravity increment with height at or near the surface of the earth. With
increasing height gravity magnitude decreases. Gravity decreases only by about
0.36% for the top of Everest.

dg ↓ 1% with H↑ 32 km

The height effect correction is called as the free air correction.

b) The most widely used technique is to first correct the observed gravity for the
height effect, and then compared with analytically defined reference gravity.
Consideringn a massive biaxial (ellipsoid), concentric with th e earth, the minor
axis coincides with the polar principle axis of inertia of the earth. (it spins with
w)
 Such a reference gravity field is called the normal gravity field and it is
represented by the normal gravity vector, The normal field is a function of
both the distance from the centre of mass of the earth and lattitude φ. There
are some formulas giving the normal gravity (refering as the years). The
difference btw the reduced actual gravity and normal gravity on the ellipsoid is
called the gravity anomally and is denoted by ∆g.

International gravity formula (1967)

( )
γ 0 = 978 .03185 1 + 0.005278855 sin 2 φ + 0.000023464 sin 4 φ
c) Gravity variations due to the irregular distribution of masses within the earth.

g >γ Σ there are denser masses

g <γ Σ negative density anomally

2.3. Gravity Potential

Gravity force field is irrotational, therefore it has a potential energy.

v v
F = mg = ∇V = m∇ w (2.14)
v
g = ∇w (2.15)

This scalar field is gravity potential.

v v v
g = g g + gc = ∇wg + ∇wc = ∇( wg + wc ) (2.16)
v
v σ (r )
wg ( rA ) = G ∫∫∫ v v dB
B
(r − rA ) (2.17)
v 1
wc (rA ) = p A 2 w2
2 (2.18)

Wc increases proportionally to the square of the distance Pa from the spin axis.
v v
While Wg decreases above the earth for rA > r being inversely proportional to the
v v
distance r − rA (Figure 2.7)

The gravity equipotential surface is a surface on which the gravity potential is

constant.

W( r ) = constant

Infinite number of equipotential surfa ces can be found just by assigning different
values to the potential. The lines of force are the curves to which the gradient of
the potential is tengent at every point. The lines of force of the earth’s gravity field
are called the PLUMB LINES (Figure 2.8).

The equipotential surface which coincides with the mean sea level over the earth
is called the geoid.
When moving along an equipotential surface, no change in the potential is
experienced and no work, in static sense , is done, either positive or negative.

If a cross section of an equipotential surface is drawn (Figure 2.5) it makes an

oblate curve. All the equipotential surfaces make an oblate spatial pattern (Figure
2.8) of a series of concentric ellipsoids. The direction of gravity and equipotential
surfaces are perpendicular.

- What is the relation btw the equipotential surfaces and the magnitude of
gravity?

The closer together the surfaces, the stronger the gravity field (Figure 2.9).
dw
g = ∇w = −
dh (2.19)
- Is gravity on an equipotential surface constant?

The magnitude of gravity on an equipotential surface varies.

Gravity is stronger on poles than on the equator.

From the Int. Gravity Formula (1967)

More work is needed to lift a body of constant mass at the pole than it is at the
equator.
The surfaces of the lakes and oceans tend to follow the gravity equipotential
surfaces with only minor deviations.

2.4. Geoid and deflections of the vertical

The one gravity potential surface of particular interest is that which best
approximates the mean sea level over the whole earth. It is called the geoid.

Geoid
Topo.
Mean Sea Level

Geoid is playing fundamental role in positioning.

The equation of geoid surface is:

w=w 0=6.2368085*107 m 2/s 2 called geopential constant

w=w 2
w=w 1 w2 < w1
P P' w1 <w 0
w=w 0
r
Consider two close points P (u 1,u 2,u3) and P’ (u 1+du1, u2+du 2, u3+du3) on the same
equipotential surface W = W 0

w( p ) = w(u1 , u 2 , u 3 )
w( p' ) = w(u1 + du1 , u2 + du2 , u3 + du3 )
dw dw dw
w( p ' ) = w( p ) = w(u1 , u 2 , u 3 ) + du1 + du 2 + du3 = w0
du1 du2 du3
 dw dw 
w( p' ) =  i+
dw
j+ (
k  * du1 i + du2 j + du3 k = 0
du3 
)
 du1 du2
0 = ∇w* dr
0 = g * dr

Gravity vector is perpendicular to dr which is tangent to equipotential surface.

Observations have shown that the geoid can also be approximated up to some
tens of meters - by a biaxial geocentric ellipsoid ahose minor axis coincides with
the earth’s principal polar axis of inertia. The best fitting geocentric ellipsoid is
called as the mean earth ellipsoid (Figure 2.10).

Actual gravity field normal gravity field

Actual equipotential surfaces normal equipotential surfaces
Actual plumb line normal plumb line
Geoid geocentric ellipsoid

Separation between the geocentric reference ellipsoid and the geoid is called the
absolute geoidal height.
Relative geoidal height → refers the geoid to another kind of reference ellipsoid
that is not geocentrically located.

In Figure 2.11 Absolute geoid for Turkey is given.

The actual and the normal gravity vactors are given in Figure 2.12 to show the
irregularities of the earth’s gravity field.

The spatial angle between γ s and g 0 defines the deflection of the vertical θ . The
angle of interest between the actual gravity vector taken on the earth’s surface and
the ellipsoidal normal is called the surface deflection. It can be either absolute or
relative according to which kind of ellipsoid is used (geocentric or non-geocentric).
The differences are expected to be more significant in mountainous regions.
The deflections can be regarded as being composed of two parts:
One reflecting the regional density distribution (predominate in flat and low areas)
Complexity of the earth’s surface topography (in mountanious releiefs).

W=c
onst.

nst.
W=cvo
g v
g

st.
=con
W

Figure 2.9 Gravity on an equipotential surface.

2.10 Biaxial ellipsoid as a normal body of the Earth

2.11 Deflection of the vertical