Written by leading experts, this book provides a clear and comprehensive survey of the “status quo” of the interrelating process and cross-fertilization of structures and methods in mathematical geodesy. Starting with a foundation of functional analysis, potential theory, constructive approximation, special function theory, and inverse problems, readers are subsequently introduced to today’s least squares approximation, spherical harmonics reflected spline and wavelet concepts, boundary value problems, Runge-Walsh framework, geodetic observables, geoidal modeling, ill-posed problems and regularizations, inverse gravimetry, and satellite gravity gradiometry. All chapters are self-contained and can be studied individually, making the book an ideal resource for both graduate students and active researchers who want to acquaint themselves with the mathematical aspects of modern geodesy.

Recognizing the increasing importance of the role of gravity and the geoid, and con sidering the substantial synergistic effects which result from close cooperation, the International Gravity Commission and the International Geoid Commission, both scientific bodies of the International Association of Geodesy, decided to hold a Joint Meeting under the common topic "Gravity and Geoid" in Graz, Austria, from Sept. 11 - 17, 1994. The earth's gravity field is increasingly attracting the attention of the geosciences for many reasons. As a response of the earth's internal mass distribution, it significantly helps us to understand the structure of the earth and its dynamics. On the other hand, the earth's gravity field controls the orbits of satellites and is of paramount im portance for accurate orbit prediction'. For geodesy the geoid, representing the gravity field, serves as a unique height reference surface. It is the link between satellite-derived positions and useful geodetic coordinates of utmost precision. For oceanography, the offset of the dynamic ocean surface from the geoid is the signal which bears important information about ocean circulation patterns.

These Proceedings include the written version of papers presented at the IAG International Symposium on "Gravity, Geoid and Earth Observation 2008". The Symposium was held in Chania, Crete, Greece, 23-27 June 2008 and organized by the Laboratory of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Greece. The meeting was arranged by the International Association of Geodesy and in particular by the IAG Commission 2: Gravity Field. The symposium aimed at bringing together geodesists and geophysicists working in the general areas of gravity, geoid, geodynamics and Earth observation. Besides covering the traditional research areas, special attention was paid to the use of geodetic methods for: Earth observation, environmental monitoring, Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), Earth Gravity Models (e.g., EGM08), geodynamics studies, dedicated gravity satellite missions (i.e., GOCE), airborne gravity surveys, Geodesy and geodynamics in polar regions, and the integration of geodetic and geophysical information.

Based on the IV Hotine-Marussi Symposium held in Trento, the volume covers three important topics: boundary value problems, satellite geodesy and stochastic methods in geodesy. The first part deals with boundary value problems which are tackled from both the theoretical and the numerical point of view. The part on satellite geodesy deals with the simulation of the GOCE mission, the integration of satellite gradiometry and airborne gravity for gravity-filed recovery, satellite-to-satellite tracking and orbit sensitivity analysis. Various applied and theoretical contributions are devoted to the stochastic methods applied to geodesy. The book presents the state-of-the-art of the main topics in the theoretical and methodological aspects of geodesy.

Based on "Heiskanen/Moritz" which served for more than 30 years as a standard reference Treats physical geodesy encyclopaedically Seamless blend of new ideas and methods (GPS, satellites, collocation)