THE GRAVITATIONAL-FIELD OF TOPOGRAPHIC-ISOSTATIC MASSES AND THE HYPOTHESIS OF MASS CONDENSATION

The topographic masses (TM) load the interfaces within the earth; name ly TMs are compensated by an isostatic adjustment which might depend o n time. Here we focus on the loading gravitational potential to which we refer as the topographic potential. We aim at a rigorous integral r epresentation for the topographic potential of gravity which results i n corollary one and two. In addition, a rigorous computation of the gr avitational potential of a massive non-spherical shell is achieved whi ch is limited by shape functions which represent the earth's topograph y ('heights') and the ''negative topography'' ('depths') which substit utes the internal surface of isostatic compensation. Finally by the th ird corollary the ''single layer'' potential is given of those masses which are condensed onto a reference sphere, the basis for the standar d loading potential. The hypothesis of mass condensation is confronted with the exact representation, namely in the external distant zone, t he near zone and the internal distant zone.