Updates to the IERS Conventions (2010): Chapter 6 - Geopotential
Working version last updated: 10 August 2012 see List of updates

Text of Chapter 6: TeX file; PDF file
Chapter 6 Figures (eps format)

Files for Chapter 6:

Tide models:
  • fes2004.dat - Tide height coefficients of the main waves of FES2004, see Section 6.3 for details. Provided by R. Biancale.
  • fes2004_Cnm-Snm.dat - Harmonic coefficients of the main waves of FES2004, see Section 6.3 for details. Generated by the Conventions center from the FES2004 tide height coefficients provided by R. Biancale.
  • S1.dat - Tide height coefficients of wave S1 for FES2004, see Section 6.3 for details. Provided by R. Biancale.
Additional material for Chapter 6 is available here.

List of updates:

  • 23 September 2011: Main changes with respect to previous version of the chapter:
    • Correct an error in the file fes2004_Cnm-Snm.dat: The unit of coefficients is 10^-11.
    • In the section 6.3.2 "Ocean tide models", part "FES2004", the phase of the C20 term of the very long period waves has been corrected to pi/2 (From R. Biancale). The corresponding changes are introduced in the first two data lines of the files fes2004.dat and fes2004_Cnm-Snm.dat.
  • 14 October 2011: Main changes with respect to previous version of the chapter:
    • Correct errors in the file fes2004_Cnm-Snm.dat: Coefficients for the waves Sa and P1 were computed with an erroneous phase.
    • In the section 6.3.2 "Ocean tide models", part "FES2004", there is an ongoing discussion on the phase of the C20 term of the very long period waves (pi/2 as per the update of 23 September 2011 or -pi/2). A warning sentence has been inserted in the text. The same warning applies to the values in the first two data lines of the files fes2004.dat and fes2004_Cnm-Snm.dat, which remain as in the update of 23 September 2011.
  • 10 August 2012: Changes with respect to previous version of the chapter:
    • In the section 6.3.2 "Ocean tide models", part "FES2004", it is specified how to treat the zonal terms in order to get consistent values for the Stokes coefficients.