Gravity anomaly map over the Black Sea using Corrected Sea Surface Heights from ERS1, ERS2 and TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite altimetry missions

Approximately nine-year data from ERS1, ERS2 and TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) satellite altimetry missions have been used for the recovery of gravity anomalies over the Black Sea. The Corrected Sea Surface Height product of Aviso/Altimetry has been proven to be homogeneous after a cross-over adjustment. The Least Squares Collocation method was applied in a so-called "remove-restore" procedure. The residual geoid heights, obtained by subtracting EGM96 geoid heights from cross-over adjusted sea surface heights, were inverted to recover residual gravity anomalies in a grid structure over the Black Sea. Finally, EGM96 free air gravity anomalies were added to the predicted residual gravity anomalies to obtain the free air gravity anomalies. In order to check the consistency with respect to an external source, these computed free air gravity anomalies were compared to ship gravity observations, and to alternative satellite altimetry derived gravity anomalies. Comparisons with the observed gravity data yielded that external consistency of the gravity anomalies computed in this study is about 3 mGal for individual ship tracks. Overall external consistency in the test area is 4.8 mGal. Comparison with other satellite altimetry derived gravity anomalies presented a good agreement.