Gravity field
The gravity field is the field of force, caused by the gravitation of the Earth, and influenced by the Earth rotation, the atmosphere and by geological bodies.
The field can be described by several observationables like
- scalar of the gravity - at the surface from 9,78 up to 9,83 m/s˛, see gravimetry and geophysics
- direction of the vertical - with vertical deflections from 2" up to 50" in the mountains, see geodetic astronomy and geodesy
- the surface of the geoid
- gravity gradients - see Roland Eötvos and gradiometry
- levelling - see trigonometry and surveying
- potential differences - see potential theory and height systems.
The last developments of Astronautics has caused a higher interest in the gravity field of other celestial bodies, too - e.g. of the planet Mars and some asteroids like Eris or Ida, and on a theoretical basis also on stars or extreme masses like black holes, and in the theories of cosmology.
See also
- Astronomy
- Geosciences
- Planetology
- Electro-optics
- Tacheometer
- Space techniques