Introduction to the Earth's gravity field

Course Information
TitleΕισαγωγή στο Πεδίο Βαρύτητας / Introduction to the Earth's gravity field
Code07YA039
FacultyEngineering
SchoolRural and Surveying Engineering
Cycle / Level1st / Undergraduate
Teaching PeriodWinter/Spring
CoordinatorGeorgios Vergos
CommonNo
StatusActive
Course ID600025758

Programme of Study: PPS Tmīmatos Agronómōn kai Topográfōn Mīchanikṓn (2025-sīmera)

Registered students: 0
OrientationAttendance TypeSemesterYearECTS
Core CoursesCore Courses745
Class Information
Academic Year2025 – 2026
Class PeriodWinter
Faculty Instructors
Weekly Hours3
Class ID
600267827
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Course Type 2016-2020
  • Background
Course Type 2011-2015
General Foundation
Mode of Delivery
  • Face to face
Digital Course Content
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
  • Greek (Instruction, Examination)
Prerequisites
General Prerequisites
The course has no special prerequisites for attendance. However, good knowledge of mathematics (01YG005) geodesy - geometric geodesy (06YA034) - and reference systems (02YA009), statistics (02YG010), spectral and harmonic analysis (03YG014), and elements of potential theory (vector calculus) and satellite geodesy (satellite geodesy) is recommended.
Learning Outcomes
Introduction to the fundamental parameters of Earth’s gravity field, gravitational potential and anomalous parameters. Basic methodologies to approximate and estimate parameters related to the Earth’s gravity field and the geoid with applications of stochastic and spectral techniques. Applications to everyday surveying engineering practice through the combination of geoid heights with leveling and GNSS heights. • Recognizes to a satisfactory level concepts of physical geodesy and the field of gravity • Analyzes concepts related to gravitational potential, boundary value problems • Develops the concept of gravity field estimation with various methodologies • Estimates parameters of the gravity field with spectral and stochastic methods • Fluently uses computational statistical analysis tools • Estimates and evaluates key variables and parameters of the gravity field
General Competences
  • Apply knowledge in practice
  • Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
  • Make decisions
  • Work autonomously
  • Respect natural environment
  • Be critical and self-critical
Course Content (Syllabus)
Newtonian attractive field. Earth gravity field and its components. Local and geocentric reference system. Gravity anomalies and reduction. Height systems. Spherical harmonics and geopotential models. The geoid. Geoid approximations with terrestrial and satellite data. Levelling with geoid heights and GNSS heights.
Keywords
Gravity Field of the Earth, geoid, Gravity Anomalies, Topographic Reductions, Terrestrial and Satellite Data
Educational Material Types
  • Notes
  • Slide presentations
  • Multimedia
  • Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
  • Use of ICT in Course Teaching
  • Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
  • Use of ICT in Communication with Students
Description
Information Technologies are used in the course teaching (educational material, video, presentations, etc), in laboratory exercises and in the communication of teachers with the students.
Course Organization
ActivitiesWorkloadECTSIndividualTeamworkErasmus
Lectures56✓✓
Laboratory Work13✓✓
Reading Assigment23✓
Project30✓
Exams3✓
Total125
Student Assessment
Description
Final exam and Course Project. The lectures of the course are combined with corresponding laboratory exercises and applications. At the same time, a semester individual project is prepared and a corresponding technical report is prepared. Students are evaluated by: 80% Written exams with theory questions and problem solving 20% Individual semester work. Semester group work on a topic of interest to Rural and Surveying Engineers. Mandatory preparation of technical report and delivery of subject.
Student Assessment methods
  • Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Summative)
  • Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Summative)
  • Written Assignment (Summative)
  • Oral Exams (Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
1. Εισαγωγή στο πεδίο βαρύτητας της γης, Αραμπέλος Δημήτριος Ν., Τζιαβός Ηλίας Ν., Κωδικός Βιβλίου στον Εύδοξο: 11271 2. Φυσική γεωδαισία, Κατσάμπαλος Κώστας, Τζιαβός Ηλίας, Κωδικός Βιβλίου στον Εύδοξο: 11452
Additional bibliography for study
Ξενόγλωσση W.A. Heiskanen and H. Moritz (1967): Physical Geodesy. W. Torge (2001): Geodesy, 3rd edition. H. Moritz (1980): Advanced Physical Geodesy. Sideris M.G. (1984): Computation of Gravimetric Terrain Corrections Using Fast Fourier Transform. M.Sc. Thesis, UCSE Report #20007, University of Calgary. Tziavos I.N. (1992): Numerical Considerations of FFT Methods in Gravity Field Modeling. Wiss. Arb. d. Fachr. Vermwesen, Univ. Hannover, Nr. 188, Hannover. P. Vanicek and E. Karakiwsky (1986): Geodesy – The concepts. H. Wellenhof and H. Moritz (2005): Physical Geodesy. Ελληνική Αραμπέλος Δ. (2002): Εισαγωγή στη θεωρία του δυναμικού. Εκδόσεις Ζήτη, Θεσσαλονίκη Αραμπέλος Δ. και Η.Ν. Τζιαβός (2007): Εισαγωγή στο πεδίο βαρύτητας της Γης. Εκδόσεις Ζήτη, Θεσσαλονίκη. Κατσάμπαλος Κ. και Η.Ν. Τζιαβός (1992): Φυσική Γεωδαισία. Εκδόσεις Ζήτη, Θεσσαλονίκη. Χρήσιμοι δικτυακοί τόποι http://www.mathworks.com/ (Επίσημη ιστοσελίδα Matlab) http://www.mathtools.net/ (Οδηγοί, προγράμματα, εργαλειοθήκες και οδηγίες για το πρόγραμμα Matlab) http://www.iag-aig.org (Επίσημη ιστοσελίδα της Διεθνούς Ένωσης Γεωδαισίας) http://www-geod.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp/iag-commission2/ (Επίσημη ιστοσελίδα της επιτροπής της Διεθνούς Ένωσης Γεωδαισίας για το πεδίο βαρύτητας) http://icgem.gfz-potsdam.de/ICGEM/ICGEM.html (Διεθνές κέντρο για τα γεωδυναμικά μοντέλα) http://www.igfs.net/ (Διεθνής υπηρεσία για το πεδίο βαρύτητας)
Last Update
31-01-2025