WHU-IOGM: A Global 3D Internal Oceanic Gravity Field Model

WHU-IOGM is a global three-dimensional internal oceanic gravity field model determined by geodetic methods. It was developed by Ganghua Ni using the 'seawater layer' method and a convergent ellipsoidal harmonic expansion algorithm. The model, last updated in May 2026, provides a foundation for underwater gravity measurement and navigation.

Use Cases

• Calibrating underwater navigation systems based on the provided gravity field model.
• Studying ocean floor topography based on the model's seabed-aligned grid and bathymetry fidelity.
• Developing geodetic theories for internal gravity fields based on the described 'seawater layer' method.
• Evaluating gravity measurement algorithms based on the model's reported RMSE and mean error metrics.

Strengths

• Model provides a reported global RMSE of 6.28 mGal and a mean error of 0.19 mGal.
• Extends vertical resolution to 10^3 layers using the WOA18 framework for improved geometric fidelity.
• Employs a theoretically rigorous method, overcoming limitations of classical geodetic theories.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and sample data are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The dataset is extremely small (185.0 B), suggesting it may contain only model parameters or metadata rather than full spatial data.

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Developed using Newtonian integration and a convergent ellipsoidal harmonic expansion algorithm based on the WOA18 framework.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-01 06:54:16.

Geography

Global