SpringerLink
Log in

Local geoid model of the Western Desert in Egypt using terrestrial gravity data and global geopotential models

  • S. I. Tanta-ISG 2018
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The local hybrid geoid model for the western desert in Egypt is computed by recent data, including the global geopotential models, gravimetric measurements, and a high-resolution digital topographic model. The research points out the importance of accurate local geoid computation not only as a survey datum but also to figure out the crustal structure. Detailed crustal structure patterns could reveal the origin of artesian aquifers and geothermal activities of the selected region. In this research, recent global geopotential models deduced from recent satellite missions have been used. The oases’ area of the western desert in Egypt is characterized by an irregular topographic pattern suggesting a complicated geoid model. Six recent global geopotential models (GGMs) have been evaluated for long and medium wavelengths. GGM accuracy for each model has been computed using GPS leveling data. EIGEN-6C model with spherical harmonic expansion to degree 250 gives the smallest error with a standard deviation equal to 0.019mGal. Also, a high-resolution digital topographic model with 3arcsec is used for terrain correction (Tc). The resulting geoid has been evaluated using GPS leveling in the selected region. Due to the recent geopotential models with high accuracy, the random distribution and low terrestrial gravity data have not become a problem in calculating the local geoid model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and material

The raw/processed data required cannot be shared at this stage as the data is also part of an ongoing study.

Code availability

Gravsoft program, GMT, Surfer

References

  • Abd-Elmotaal H (2002) Towards a precise geoid for Egypt. In Tziavos, IN, edt.(2003) Gravity and Geoid 2002, 3rd Meeting of the International Gravity and Geoid Commission, Thessaloniki, Greece, August, 26-30

  • Abd-Elmotaal HA (2015) Validation of GOCE models in Africa. International Association of Geodesy Symposia, special issue, Newton’s Bull 5:149–162

  • Abdulrahman FH (2020) Determination of the local geoid model in Duhok Region, University of Duhok Campus as a Case study. Ain Shams Eng J

  • Anderson DL (1998) The scales of mantle convection. Tectonophysics 284:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnard J, McCulloch R, Meng X-L (2000) Modeling covariance matrices in terms of standard deviations and correlations, with application to shrinkage. Stat Sin:1281–1311

  • Barthelmes DF (2016) International center for global earth models (ICGEM), Earth System Science Data, The Geodesist’s Handbook 2016

  • Chambers K, Woodhouse J, Deuss A (2005) Topography of the 410-km discontinuity from PP and SS precursors. Earth Planet Sci Lett 235:610–622

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Yang Z (2001) A hybrid method to determine the Hong Kong geoid, FIG Symposium, Korea, May 2001

  • Dawod G (1998) A national gravity standardization network for Egypt. PhD dissertation, Faculty of Engineering at Shoubra, Zagazig University, Egypt

  • Dawod G (2008) Towards the redefinition of the Egyptian geoid: performance analysis of recent global geoid and digital terrain models. J Spat Sci 53:31–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawod GM, Abdel-Aziz TM (2020) Utilization of geographically weighted regression for geoid modeling in Egypt. J Appl Geodesy 14(1):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1515/jag-2019-0009

  • Denker H, Torge W, Wenzel G, Ihde J, Schirmer U (2000) Investigation of different methods for the combination of gravity and GPS/levelling data. Geodesy Beyond 2000. International Association of Geodesy Symposia, vol 121. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59742-8_23

  • Elbehiry F, Elbasiouny H, El-Ramady H, Brevik EC (2019) Mobility, distribution, and potential risk assessment of selected trace elements in soils of the Nile Delta, Egypt. Environ Monit Assess 191:713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forsberg R, Sideris M (1993) Geoid computations by the multi-band spherical FFT approach. Manuscr Geodaet 18:82–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Forsberg R, Tscherning C (2008) GRAVSOFT. Geodetic Gravity Field Modelling Programs (overview manual), DTU-Space, Denmark

  • Gerstl M (2008) Computing the earth gravity field with spherical harmonics. In: Breitner MH, Denk G, Rentrop P (eds) From Nano to Space: Applied Mathematics Inspired by Roland Bulirsch. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp 277–294

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Godah W, Krynski J (2015) A new gravimetric geoid model for the area of Sudan using the least-squares collocation and a GOCE-based GGM. International Association of Geodesy Symposia. Springer, pp 123–129

  • Hackney R, Featherstone W (2003) Geodetic versus geophysical perspectives of the ‘gravity anomaly’. Geophys J Int 154:35–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heiskanen WA (1967) Determination of the Geoid from Ground Anomalies, Physical Geodesy. NII Article ID (NAID),10012510800, 8:325–330

  • Heliani LS (2016) Evaluation of global geopotential model and its application on local geoid modelling of Java Island, Indonesia. In AIP Conference Proceedings, 100005. AIP Publishing LLC

  • Ince ES, Barthelmes F, Reißland S, Elger K, Förste C, Flechtner F, Schuh H (2019) ICGEM–15 years of successful collection and distribution of global gravitational models, associated services and future plans. Earth Syst Sci Data 11:647–674

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jalal SJ, Musa TA, Din AHM, Aris WAW, Shen W, Pa'suya MF (2019) Influencing factors on the accuracy of local geoid model. Geod Geodyn 10(6):439–445

  • Kenney TA (2010) Levels at gaging stations: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 3-A19:60

  • Kiamehr R, Sjöberg L (2005) The qualities of Iranian gravimetric geoid models versus recent gravity field missions. Stud Geophys Geod 49:289–304

  • Manandhar N, Shanker K (2018) Geoid determination and gravity works in Nepal. Nepalese Journal of Geoinformatics 17(1):7–15

  • Merry CL (2007) Evaluation of global geopotential models in determining the quasi-geoid for Southern Africa. Surv Rev 39:180–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed AZ, Ehara S (2009) Heat flow and geothermal resources in Egypt. Journal of the Geothermal Research, Society of Japan 31(3):155–166. https://doi.org/10.11367/grsj.31.155

  • Moritz H (1980) Geodetic reference system 1980. Bull. Geodesique 54:395–405. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02521480

  • Ngalamo JFG, Sobh M, Bisso D, Abdelsalam MG, Atekwana E, Ekodeck GE (2018) Lithospheric structure beneath the Central Africa Orogenic Belt in Cameroon from the analysis of satellite gravity and passive seismic data. Tectonophysics 745:326–337

  • Ranalli G, Rybach L (2005) Heat flow, heat transfer, and lithosphere rheology in geothermal areas: features and examples. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 148(1–2):3–19

  • Rapp R (1997) Global models for the 1cm geoid—present status and near term prospects. In: Geodetic boundary value problems in view of the one centimeter geoid. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences, vol 65. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0011708

  • Saadat A, Safari A, Needell D (2018) IRG2016: RBF-based regional geoid model of Iran. Stud Geophys Geod 62:380–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sjöberg LE, Featherstone W (2004) Two-step procedures for hybrid geoid modelling. J Geod 78:66–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith D, Roman D (2001) GEOID99 and G99SSS: 1-arc-minute geoid models for the United States. J Geod 75:469–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strykowski G, Forsberg R (1998) Operational merging of satellite, airborne and surface gravity data by dra** techniques. In: Geodesy on the Move. International Association of Geodesy Symposia, vol 119. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72245-5_35

  • Tscherning C (1992) The GRAVSOFT package for geoid determination. In Proc 1st IAG Continental Workshop of the Geoid in Europe, Prague, 1992

  • Tscherning C, Radwan A, Tealeb A, Mahmoud S, Abd El-Monum M, Hassan R, El-Syaed I, Saker K (2001) Local geoid determination combining gravity disturbances and GPS/levelling: a case study in the Lake Nasser area, Aswan, Egypt. J Geod 75:343–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wichiencharoen C (1982) The indirect effects on the computation of geoid undulations,NAS 1.26:170347, REPT-336, NASA-CR-170347

  • Zaher MA, Saibi H, Mansour K, Khalil A, Soliman M (2018) Geothermal exploration using airborne gravity and magnetic data at Siwa Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. Renew Sust Energ Rev 82:3824–3832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang K (1997) An evaluation of FFT geoid determination techniques and their application to height determination using GPS in Australia. School of Surveying and Land Information, Curtin University, Thesis [4137], http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/910

Download references

Acknowledgements

NRIAG, SRI, BGI, GFZ, and USGS are highly appreciated for given some topographic data, GPS leveling points, and gravity survey details. Professor T. Scherning and Professor René Forsberg are highly acknowledged for the software used in this study.

Funding

Not applicable

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geodynamic Department, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, 11421, Cairo, Egypt

    Mostafa Ahmed Elwan, Khaled Zharan & Elsayed Issawy

  2. Geophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Ahmad Helaly & Ahmed Abd El-Gawad

Authors
  1. Mostafa Ahmed Elwan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ahmad Helaly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Khaled Zharan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elsayed Issawy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ahmed Abd El-Gawad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Conceptualization: Mostafa Ahmed Elwan; methodology: Khaled Zharan; formal analysis and investigation: Mostafa Ahmed Elwan; writing—original draft preparation: Ahmed Abd El Gawad; writing—review and editing: Elsayed Issawy; supervision: Ahmad Helaly.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mostafa Ahmed Elwan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Zakaria Hamimi

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Advances of Geophysical and Geological Prospection for Natural Resources in Egypt and the Middle East

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Elwan, M.A., Helaly, A., Zharan, K. et al. Local geoid model of the Western Desert in Egypt using terrestrial gravity data and global geopotential models. Arab J Geosci 14, 1436 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07817-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07817-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation