The reference figure of the rotating Earth in geometry and gravity space and an attempt to generalize the celebrated Runge-Walsh approximation theorem for irregular surfaces (Q2517213)

The Reference Figure of the Earth of type plane, sphere, ellipsoid, regular topography, irregular topography, fractal geometry is discussed. The Standard Reference of the Earth, the Telluroid, is derived from the anharmonic Somigliana-Pizzetti gravity field, also called World Geodetic Datum, strongly influenced by the Rotation of the Earth in terms of spheroidal coordinates/spheroidal gravity field. In detail, the Telluroid Mapping based on a two step procedure of type (astronomic longitude/ astronomic latitude, modulus of gravity) is treated. The result is an algebraic equation of degree ten. The important Runge-Walsh Approximaion Theorem in the context of singularities of the Earth Geometry and Gravity Field as mentioned by Bocchio-Livieratos-Grafarend is discussed. The example by Sanso that a grain of sand blows up the series expansion of the external gravity field is of key importance.