00453 - GEODESIA

Learning outcomes

Designed to provide the students with modern understanding of the Geodesy fundamental principles and tasks. In particular, the “three pillars” of this discipline are the determination of the geometry, gravity field and rotation of the Earth including their evolution in time. This information provides the conceptual and observational foundation on which all Earth observation systems are built. Earth System science relies on space geodetic observations to provide high accuracy measurements of our planet documenting the surface deformations, gravity field variations and irregularities in the Earth’s movement in space. Modern Geodesy is a science that not only measures these key parameters but also models these quantities on the basis of mass movements and dynamics in the Earth system. The Lab will provide experience with various reference systems and methods of coordinate transformation. Moreover, the students will build their skills by developing simple case studies of determination of crustal movements, using data from web-based geodetic services.

Course contents

Introduction to geodesy, definitions and tasks. Recent developments and applications of satellite geodesy to the study of the Erath system. Representation of the surface of the Earth, the physical and mathematical figures of the Earth. The geometry of the ellipsoid. The geodesics. Reference systems and frames: terrestrial and celestial. Time systems. Fundamentals of celestial mechanics: the Kepler’s and the perturbed motion of an artificial satellite. Perturbations: gravitational and non-gravitational forces.

Readings/Bibliography

1) Guenter Seeber, Satellite Geodesy, de Gruyter;

2) Wolfang Torge, Geodesy, de Gruyter;

3) Gerhard Beutler et al. (Edts.), Earth gravity field from space - from sensors to Earth sciences, Kluver Academic Publishers;

4) Hans-Peter Plag and Michael Pearlman (Edts.), Global Geodetic Observing System, Springer.

Teaching methods

Lectures and laboratory work

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Teaching tools

Computers, projection material

Office hours

See the website of Susanna Zerbini