مؤسسه ژئوفیزیک دانشگاه تهران فیزیک زمین و فضا 2538-371X 49 4 2024 02 20 Improving the Accuracy of Analytical Downward Continuation of Terrestrial Gravity Anomalies Improving the Accuracy of Analytical Downward Continuation of Terrestrial Gravity Anomalies 27 35 94142 10.22059/jesphys.2023.358262.1007520 FA Mehdi Goli Department of Geotechnical and Transport Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran. 0000-0002-2774-0821 Journal Article 2023 05 01 The determination of the geoid using the Stokes integral involves transforming gravity data from their measurement altitude to the geoid/ellipsoid surface. This study focuses on improving the accuracy of analytical downward continuation (ADC) for reducing terrestrial gravity anomalies to the geoid. The ADC method uses the Taylor series and successive vertical gradients of the gravity anomalies. The Moritz integral formula, which is based on Poisson's integral, is used to derive the vertical gravity gradient. To enhance its accuracy, a mean vertical gradient is proposed by introducing an analytical formula based on planar approximation. This formula improves accuracy by 50%. Numerical analysis, using simulated free air anomalies up to harmonic degree/order 5540/5540, reveals that the difference between mean and point ADC results in geoidal height can be several decimeters. The study also finds that the ADC of 2'×2' anomalies remains stable even with different levels of noise, while the Taylor series of 1'×1' gravity anomalies diverges. The determination of the geoid using the Stokes integral involves transforming gravity data from their measurement altitude to the geoid/ellipsoid surface. This study focuses on improving the accuracy of analytical downward continuation (ADC) for reducing terrestrial gravity anomalies to the geoid. The ADC method uses the Taylor series and successive vertical gradients of the gravity anomalies. The Moritz integral formula, which is based on Poisson's integral, is used to derive the vertical gravity gradient. To enhance its accuracy, a mean vertical gradient is proposed by introducing an analytical formula based on planar approximation. This formula improves accuracy by 50%. Numerical analysis, using simulated free air anomalies up to harmonic degree/order 5540/5540, reveals that the difference between mean and point ADC results in geoidal height can be several decimeters. The study also finds that the ADC of 2'×2' anomalies remains stable even with different levels of noise, while the Taylor series of 1'×1' gravity anomalies diverges. https://jesphys.ut.ac.ir/article_94142_9ebf83de934f1882e92a384468423652.pdf