Abstract
The goal of maintaining an accurate gravity network at the BIPM headquarters is twofold: firstly to support the International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters (ICAG), and secondly to support the BIPM watt balance (WB) project, which aims at determining the Planck constant h or realizing a future new definition of the kilogram based on a fixed value of h. In addition the absolute gravity measurements, Relative Gravity Campaign (RGC) is organized as part of each ICAG.
The BIPM gravity network is characterized by its small size, indoor laboratory conditions, three-dimensional structure, and large number of parallel absolute gravity determinations. Over the last 3 decades, repeated precise horizontal and vertical ties have been measured using relative and absolute gravimeters, and precision leveling has been undertaken regularly to monitor the deformation of the terrain. The ICAG is held every 4 years; the 8th ICAG took place in mid-2009 and for the first time, it was organized as a metrological key comparison as defined by the CIPM MRA. Its results will such constitute a precise and consistent gravity reference system in SI units which can be used as the global basis for geodetic and geophysical observations. Additionally, to support the WB project, the network was extended to the BIPM WB laboratory.
In this paper, we briefly recall the background of the ICAG/RGC2009 and outline the new characteristics of the updated network, the organization and the performance of the measurements. Finally we present preliminary results from the RGC2009.
F. Arias is a associated astronomer at the Observatoire de Paris (France)
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
BIPM, Technical Protocol of the 8th International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters ICAG-2009
CIPM MRA Key Comparison CCM.G-K1. http://kcdb.bipm.org/appendixB/KCDB_ApB_result.asp?cmp_idy=935&cmp_cod=&search=&cmp_cod_search=&page=&met_idy=&bra_idy=&epo_idy=&cmt_idy=&ett_idy_or=&cou_cod=
BIPM, 1st Circular letter about Relative Gravity Campaign 2009. ftp://tai.bipm.org/ICAG/2009/RGC/FirstLetter/
Vitushkin L, Becker M, Jiang Z, Francis O, van Dam TM, Faller J, Chartier J-M, Amalvict M, Bonvalot S, Debeglia N, Desogus S, Diament M, Dupont F, Falk R, Gabalda G, Gagnon CGL, Gattacceca T, Germak A, Hinderer J, Jamet O, Jeffries G, Käker R, Kopaev A, Liard J, Lindau A, Longuevergne L, Luck B, Maderasl EN, Mäkinen J, Meurers B, Mizushima S, Mrlina J, Newell D, Origlia C, Pujol ER, Reinhold A, Richard Ph, Robinson IA, Ruess D, Thies S, van Camp M, van Ruymbeke M, de Villalta Compagni MF, Williams S (2002) Results of the Sixth International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters ICAG-2001. Metrologia 39:407–24
Jiang Z, Becker M, Francis O, Germak A, Palinkas V, Jousset P, Kostelecky J, Dupont F, Lee CW, Tsai CL, Falk R, Wilmes H, Kopaev A, Ruess D, Ullrich MC, Meurers B, Mrlina J, Deroussi S, Métivier L, Pajot G, Pereira Dos Santos F, van Ruymbeke M, Naslin S, Ferry M (2009) Relative Gravity Measurement Campaign during the 7th International Comparison of Absolute Gravimeters (2005). Metrologia 46:214–226
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Jiang, Z. et al. (2012). Updating the Precise Gravity Network at the BIPM. In: Kenyon, S., Pacino, M., Marti, U. (eds) Geodesy for Planet Earth. International Association of Geodesy Symposia, vol 136. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20338-1_32
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20338-1_32
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-20337-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-20338-1
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)