Earth's gravity field represented by a simple-layer potential from Doppler tracking of satellites

Abstract

Ten weeks of Doppler tracking of the 5 satellites for which data are available at the National Space Science Data Center have been analyzed to determine the coordinates of 27 tracking stations and the gravity field of the earth represented by the potential of a simple layer. Density values of this layer for 104 surface elements have been computed in a least-squares adjustment and transformed into harmonic coefficients up to the eleventh degree and order. Comparisons with other solutions show good agreement. The results for the equatorial radius of the earth, its flattening, and its gravity at the equator are 6,378,156 meters, 1/298.255, and 978,028.8 mgal, respectively.