Digital Zenith Camera for Vertical Deflection Determination: on the Way
to 1 cm Precise Quasi-Geoid Model for Latvia
Abstract
The digital zenith camera VESTA (VErtical by STArs) was designed by the
Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics (GGI) of the University of
Latvia and completed in 2016. Since that more than 300 terrestrial
vertical deflection measurements were observed in the territory of
Latvia. These observations were post-processed by the GGI developed
software and the accuracy was evaluated at 0.1 arc seconds. Terrestrial
observations were compared with global geopotential models, e.g. GGM+
and EGM2008. The results show a better correspondence with GGM+ model by
evaluating the standard deviation: 0.314 and 0.307 arcseconds for ξ and
η components respectively in comparison to 0.346 and 0.358 arcseconds
for ξ and η components for EGM2008 model. The comparisons of average and
minimum/maximum differences are introduced in this study for better
evaluation of the results. Moreover, vertical deflections have been used
as additional terrestrial data in DFHRS (Digital Finite-element Height
Reference Surface) software v. 4.3 in combination with GNSS/levelling
data (B, L, h|H) and global geopotential model EGM2008 for
gravity field and quasi-geoid improvement (www.dfhbf.de). The results of
the computed quasi-geoid models using different types of data are
introduced in this research, representing several solutions, as well as
these solutions are compared with the national quasi-geoid model LV’14.
In the middle of 2019, the new upgraded version of digital zenith camera
was developed by the scientific staff and the accuracy of the
measurements of improved camera was evaluated at 0.05 arcseconds, which
is two times better than previous one. The improvements of new digital
zenith camera are also discussed in this research. It is important to
point out that according to our observations the application of digital
zenith camera reveals a new capabilities for studies of mass
distribution beneath earth.