Comparison of Methods for Determination of the Vertical Acceleration in Airborne Gravimetry Using LaCoste & Romberg Zero Length Spring Gravimeter

D. Zhong, R. Kingdon

Abstract:	The results of airborne gravity surveys using LaCoste & Romberg zero-length spring sensor airborne gravimeters depend on dynamic corrections which include the Eötvös correction and the deduction of the vertical acceleration of the moving aircraft. Typically, the former is a function of a single point position and velocity and can be modeled mathematically, while the latter is a differentiation of velocities and difficult to determine for different dynamics using an analytic method. In an effort to improve gravimetry results, several different methods for determination of the vertical acceleration are tested using survey data released for the NOAA NGS GRAV-D Kinematic GPS Challenge Project. These methods include the kinematic DGPS position method, the DGPS carrier phase acceleration method, and the GPS/IMU loosely coupled position method. This paper will summarize and review these three methods with their advantages and disadvantages first, and then conclude with some useful recommendations for practical production through comparison and analysis of the results of their application to GRAV-D airborne gravity survey data.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 26th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2013) September 16 - 20, 2013 Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, TN
Pages:	3180 - 3193
Cite this article:	Zhong, D., Kingdon, R., "Comparison of Methods for Determination of the Vertical Acceleration in Airborne Gravimetry Using LaCoste & Romberg Zero Length Spring Gravimeter," Proceedings of the 26th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2013), Nashville, TN, September 2013, pp. 3180-3193.
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