Expected Contributions of Dedicated Satellite Gravity Field Missions to Regional Geoid Determination with some Examples from Australia

Global models of the Earth’s gravitational field can be divided among three primary classes: satellite-only, combined and tailored models. Some of the current deficiencies in some of these models will be outlined using examples over Australia. The new dedicated satellite gravity field missions (e.g., GRACE, CHAMP and GOCE) will make significant improvements to the long-wavelength, satellite-derived components of the Earth’s gravitational field. They will also provide a homogeneous and near-complete global coverage of gravity field information. This paper briefly summarises the GRACE, CHAMP and GOCE mission concepts and expected error spectra based on previously published syntheses. Strategies will then be proposed for the use of these new data in regional gravimetric geoid computations based on data combination through either truncated spherical harmonic series or a deterministically modified Stokes formula.