The precision that can be obtained with the actual satellite positioning techniques justifies the assumption that the earth surface is known. Therefore nowadays the GPS-gravimetric boundary problem has become very relevant, being one of its appiications the determination of geopotential numbers (the physical measure of height above sea level). This is a non-linear and oblique derivative problem. Once the problem is linearized we solve it by means of Sansò's change of boundary method leading to a series solution avoiding a downward analytical continuation. The first order solution is compared with the gradient solution given by Moritz (2000). Using a Taylor expansion both results are shown to be formally the same.

Comunicación presntada a la 3ª Asamblea Hispano-Portuguesa de Geodesia y Geofísica = 3ª Assembleia Luso-Espanhola de Geodesia e Geofisica, celebrada en Valencia entre el 4 y el 8 de febrero de 2002.

Peer reviewed