Knowledge of the distribution of masses within topography is critical for the evaluation of geopotential functionals, the geoidal undulation being of particularly high importance. Most present density models are either too coarse for regional modelling, are determined via gravity inversions, or provide density estimates for the crust, not topography. The UNB TopoDens Project aims to provide topographical density information on a global scale, independent from global gravity models, at a high spatial resolution. The UNB TopoDens project is divided into two components; the first involves the creation and validation of laterally varying models by assigning probable surface densities and associated uncertainties to a Global Lithology Model (GLiM), the first of these was completed in 2019 and has been continually updated based on feedback from end-users. The second involves the creation and validation of radially varying models by applying depth-dependent equations of state to the cutting edge 2D density models. The UNB TopoDens models are the first of their kind, providing both independent density data and their associated error estimates on a global scale at a 30” x 30” resolution.
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