Thursday, March 17, 2011

NGS Tests New Gravity Meter as Part of Its Campaign to Redefine the American Vertical Datum

The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) recently acquired a new absolute gravity meter and tested the equipment in the Gulf of Mexico. The new meter design is optimal for rugged, quick, outdoor occupations, compared with the capabilities of predecessor instruments designed for laboratory-like indoor observations. The new meter will provide quick and accurate measurements of the gravity ties in support of the NGS Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV-D) campaign, initiated to redefine the American Vertical Datum by the year 2022. Unlike heights obtained with GPS, heights determined using gravity may be used to accurately predict water-flow patterns and other factors affected by Earth's gravity field. For more information, contact Vicki Childers.