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The geoid undulation (also known as geoid height or geoid anomaly), N, is the height of the geoid relative to a given ellipsoid of reference. N = h − H {\displaystyle N=h-H} The undulation is not standardized, as different countries use different mean sea levels as reference, but most commonly refers to the EGM96 geoid.
The surfaces of constant geopotential or isosurfaces of the geopotential are called equigeopotential surfaces (sometimes abbreviated as geop), [1] also known as geopotential level surfaces, equipotential surfaces, or simply level surfaces. [2] Global mean sea surface is close to one equigeopotential called the geoid. [3]
The geoid, or mathematical mean sea surface, is defined not only on the seas, but also under land; it is the equilibrium water surface that would result, would sea water be allowed to move freely (e.g., through tunnels) under the land. Technically, an equipotential surface of the true geopotential, chosen to coincide (on average) with mean sea ...
In mathematics and physics, an equipotential or isopotential refers to a region in space where every point is at the same potential. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] This usually refers to a scalar potential (in that case it is a level set of the potential), although it can also be applied to vector potentials .
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Vertical datum).
The orthometric height (symbol H) is the vertical distance along the plumb line from a point of interest to a reference surface known as the geoid, the vertical datum that approximates mean sea level. [1] [2] Orthometric height is one of the scientific formalizations of a layman's "height above sea level", along with other types of heights in ...
The geometrical separation between it and the reference ellipsoid is called the geoidal undulation, or more usually the geoid-ellipsoid separation, N. It varies globally between ±110 m. A reference ellipsoid, customarily chosen to be the same size (volume) as the geoid, is described by its semi-major axis (equatorial radius) a and flattening f.
Geopotential height or geopotential altitude is a vertical coordinate referenced to Earth's mean sea level (assumed zero geopotential) that represents the work involved in lifting one unit of mass over one unit of length through a hypothetical space in which the acceleration of gravity is assumed constant. [1]