Abstract
The author discusses the set of constants required to describe the external gravitational field of the Earth : a set of form factors and two scale factors. Some problems in relating the external field as derived from the motions of satellites to the quantities observed at the surface are mentioned. The fondamental parameters cannot be derived from the data without a knowledge of other astronomical constants, and it is shown how a general adjustment of data of different origins can be made. The results enable suggestions to be made about the way in which new conventional values of these parameters should be chosen.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)