Table B 2.  Relevant Miscellaneous Constants and Conversion Factors

Constant

Symbol

Numerical Value

Velocity of Light

c

299792458 m/s

  (in a vacuum)

Dynamical Ellipticity

H

1/305.4413

Earth s Angular Velocity [for Satellite Applications; see

w

*

(7292115.8553 x 10

11

 + 4.3 

Equation (3 14), reference 3]

 x 10

 15

 T

u)

 rad/s

Universal Constant of Gravitation

G

6.673 x 10

 11

m

3

/s

2

kg

GM of the Earth s Atmosphere

GM

A

3.5 x 10

8

m

3

/s

2

Earth s Gravitational Constant (excluding the Mass of the

GM'

3986001.5 x 10

8

m

3

/s

2

Earth s Atmosphere)

Earth s Principal

A

8.0091029 x 10

37

 kg m

2

Moments of Inertia

B

8.0092559 x 10

37

 kg m

2

Dynamic Solution

C

8.0354872 x 10

37

 kg m

2

Conversion Factors

1 Metre

= 3.28083333333 U.S. Survey Feet

1 Metre

= 3.28083989501 International Feet

1 International Foot

= 0.3048 Metre (Exact)

1 U.S. Survey Foot

= 1200/3937 Metre (Exact)

1 U.S. Survey Foot

= 0.30480060960 Metre

= 1852 Meters (Exact)

1 Nautical Mile

= 6076.10333333 U.S. Survey Feet

= 6076.11548556 International Feet

= 1609.344 Meters (Exact)

1 Statute Mile

= 5280 International Feet (Exact)

B.4  THE GRAVITY FORMULA

In many applications, such as the computation of gravity anomalies, theoretical (or normal)

gravity (g) is required as a reference value.  Values of gf in the WGS 84 (for any latitude

F) can be computed using the closed formula:

(1  + k 

2

sin

  )

  =  

e

(1      e

2

2

sin

  )

1/2

T

u

 = Julian Centuries from Epoch J2000.0

B 4