The orthometric height system plays a key role in geodesy, and it has broad applications in various fields and activities. On an arbitrary equigeopotential surface, there does not exist the frequency shift of an electromagnetic wave signal. However, between arbitrary two different equigeopotential surfaces, there exists the frequency shift of the signal. Just due to this principle of nature, one can determine the geopotential difference as well as the orthometric height difference between two separated points P and Q using electromagnetic wave signals, especially the GPS signals. GPS signals with a definite frequency f are emitted and two receivers at P and Q on ground receive the signals coming from the emitter simultaneously. The frequencies of the signals are recorded by receivers at P and Q, and consequently the frequency difference (shift) between the received frequencies of the signals at P and Q is determined. Then, the geopotential difference between these two points is determined based on the geopotential frequency shift equation, and the corresponding orthometric height difference is further determined based on the Bruns' formula. Further, using this approach a unified world height datum could be realized, because P and Q could be chosen quite arbitrarily, e.g., they are located on two separated continents or islands.

Date Published: 29 December 2008
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 7285, International Conference on Earth Observation Data Processing and Analysis (ICEODPA), 728512 (29 December 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.816357

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7285:
International Conference on Earth Observation Data Processing and Analysis (ICEODPA)
Deren Li; Jianya Gong; Huayi Wu, Editor(s)