Comparison of Helmert and rigorous orthometric heights over Japan

The local vertical datum in Japan is based on the Helmert’s approximation of mean gravity along the plumbline. However, determination of a rigorous orthometric height requires that the integral-mean value of gravity along the plumbline between the geoid and the Earth surface has to be known precisely. An attempt has been made to obtain rigorous orthometric heights at 816 GPS/levelling points distributed over four main islands of Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu) by applying corrections to the Helmert orthometric heights. The corrections to Helmert orthometric heights are evaluated from the differences between the integral-mean gravity and the approximate mean gravity along the plumbline. The corrections to Helmert orthometric heights vary from −30.9 cm to 0.0 cm with a mean value of −0.4 cm and standard deviation of ±1.7 cm. An improved high-resolution gravimetric geoid model covering four main islands of Japan from our previous study is used to compare the consistency of the two height systems to a regionally defined gravimetric geoid model. The standard deviation of the differences between gravimetric and GPS/levelling geoid undulations is ±7.5 cm, when Helmert orthometric heights are used. The standard deviation of the differences between gravimetric and GPS/levelling geoid undulations reduces to ±7.3 cm, when rigorous orthometric heights are used. This indicates that rigorous orthometric heights are more consistent with the gravimetric geoid model than Helmert orthometric heights.