Geoid model in the western Mediterranean Sea

In this work a geoid model is presented over the Western Mediterranean area . It has been computed using marine and terrestrial gravimetric data. Diffe rences between results including several kinds of data are also studied. Al timetric data from a year of ERS-1 mission are used to test the precision o f the results, overall close to the coastal line. A first approximation to the sea surface topography in the area is made with both results: altimetri c mean sea surface and gravimetric geoid. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.