Vertical gravity gradient determination for the needs of contemporary absolute gravity measurements - first results

Current development of gravimetric measurement technologies gives an opportunity to determine absolute gravity value with high precision, also in field conditions. In particular, it concerns gravity determination with the use of the A 10 free-fall gravimeter manufactured by Micro-g Solutions. Surveys with the A 10 as well as with FG5 gravimeters require precise determination of vertical gravity gradient in order to properly reduce the measured gravity value, e.g. to the benchmark level. A special stand of multiple levels (20 cm interval) for vertical gradient determination had been designed and constructed in the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (IGiK), Warsaw. The stand enables the determination of the vertical gravity gradient on every station where the measurement with the A10 can be performed. First results of vertical gradient determinations at the Polish National Gravity Control points in Borowa Gora Geodetic-Geophysical Observatory (two laboratory and one field station) with the use of the stand developed are presented in the paper. Results of measurements on multiple levels were fitted with linear and nonlinear model and compared with vertical gravity gradients determined in the year 2000, based on the measurements using a standard tripod. Measurement methodology with the use of the stand has been proposed.