Detailed gravimetric geoid computations in North America

A detailed gravimetric geoid has been computed for the Eastern United States and the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean by combining the Goddard Space Flight Center GEM-8 earth gravity model with the available 15 x 15 arcmin and 1 x 1 deg mean free air surface gravity observations. The short wavelength undulations were computed by applying Stokes' formula to the 15 x 15 arcmin and 1 x 1 deg surface data. The long wavelength undulations were provided by the GEM-8 model. The gravimetric geoid has been compared with Geoceiver derived and astrogeodetically determined geoid heights in the United States and the rms agreement is on the order of 1.5 meters. Excellent agreement in shape has been found between the detailed geoid and geoidal profiles derived from GEOS-III altimeter data in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.