How Attractive is Our Planet? - Geodesy and Gravity Field Measurement

Explore the intricacies of geodesy and Earth's gravitational field in this 54-minute Bowie Lecture from the 2012 AGU Fall Meeting. Delve into the advancements in satellite gravimetry, focusing on missions like GRACE and GOCE, and their impact on measuring the Earth's shape and gravitational variations. Discover how these technologies have revolutionized our understanding of the geoid, ocean circulation, and solid Earth physics. Learn about the GOCE satellite's unique gravity gradiometer and its contributions to creating high-precision geoid models. Examine applications in oceanography, including the study of mean dynamic ocean topography and global ocean circulation. Explore implications for solid Earth physics, particularly in regions like South America, Africa, and Antarctica. Understand the importance of a globally consistent height reference for sea level studies and geo-information systems. Engage with topics ranging from historical controversies in geodesy to the latest temporal resolution capabilities in Earth observation.