Researchprojects

BAB 077/25: Geoid calculation

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as GPS, Galileo and GLONASS enable positioning and navigation tasks to be carried out with unprecedented efficiency. Thanks to their speed, real-time capability, wide-area availability and comparatively low costs, GNSS are superior to conventional surveying methods in many areas. With the Austri-an Positioning Service (APOS), the Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying (BEV) operates a GNSS-based service that enables real-time positioning with centimetre accuracy. In addition to its use in traditional surveying, APOS is increasingly being used in the field of machine control in industry and agriculture (precision farming). In land surveying and the associated applications and products, elevation data usually refers to a mean sea level. Such sea levels, also called orthometric heights in the technical literature, refer to the so-called geoid as a reference surface. If you want to determine sea levels with GNSS, you need such a geoid model to correct the original measurements. Accurate geoid models are therefore essential for precise height determination with GNSS.

The current geoid model for Austria was created in a co-operation between BEV and Graz University of Technology and published in 2008. Due to further developments in the calculation methods, the massively improved basis of measurement data and technical progress in the hardware and software sector, there is now great potential for improvement compared to the 2008 model.
Geoid modelling is based on complex calculations with large amounts of data and places high demands on IT hardware. The processing of digital terrain models with high spatial resolution and the solution of complex systems of equations are particularly resource-intensive.

As BEV does not have suitable IT hardware with the appropriate performance, the parameterisation and implementation of the calculations is to be carried out on BAB's high-performance IT infrastructure. The collaboration between BEV and BAB takes place within the framework of the co-operation between BEV, BML and BAB on efficiency and the use of synergies in administration.
Research work at Graz University of Technology and the GROOPS software developed at the Institute of Geodesy will serve as the basis.

Objective

Utilising the potential described above, the main objective is to generate an updated and more precise geoid model for Austria. The main task of the BAB is to provide the IT infrastructure and to support the BEV project team. In addition, there will be a mutual exchange of experience and the development of expertise.

Schedule

Project start: January 2025
End of the project: December 2026


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