Earth Surface Relationships

Ellipsoid

of Revolution

Topographic Surface

Geoid

h

H

The geoid is a gravity equipotential surface selected to match mean sea level as well as possible.

For more on this see NIMA’s “Geodesy for the Layman” on

http://164.214.2.59/geospatial/products/GandG/geolay/toc.htm

Geoid Separation: + N

Geoid Separation: - N

• h is the geodetic height

• H is the orthometric height

• N is the separation of the geoid

Ellipsoid

of Revolution

Geoid

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