SUR 352Geometric and Physical Geodesy

3 credits · Surveying · Penn State

This course provides a thorough background on geometric and physical geodesy. With respect to Geometric Geodesy the course covers: Computations to the ellipsoid and coordinate transformations between various coordinate systems, considering crustal plate motion. The astronomic, geodetic, and satellite coordinate systems are studied. Satellite navigation and positioning is discussed at a rudimentary level. With respect to Physical Geodesy the course covers: The Earth's gravity field, its measurement, reduction of gravity observations to the geoid, uses for gravity and gravity anomalies are studied. Geoid determination, Stokes's formula, the remove-restore methods, least-squares collocation. Vertical positioning and height datums and systems. Principles and applications of airborne, terrestrial, and satellite gravimetry and satellite altimetry.