Knowledge Bank

This report is composed of two portions. The first is a general theoretical discussion of the problem of assuming compatibility of surface gravity data and potential coefficients derived from satellite orbital analysis. The second part of the report describes a combination of gravimetric and satellite data using 5° x 5° mean free air anomalies supplied by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center, and a set of potential coefficients designated NWL 8I derived by Anderle. Several methods were applied to this data to obtain an adjusted set of potential coefficients complete to n = 15 plus an additional number of higher degree resonance terms. In addition three sets of adjusted 5° x 5° mean free air anomalies were obtained. From these anomalies a set of potential coefficients complete to n = 30 was derived by the development formulas. Analysis of the various solutions indicated that one was to be preferred over all others. Problems continue to remain with respect to proper weighting of the data.