26 September 2023

Aircraft defy gravity to survey it

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The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions has announced a new airborne survey of metropolitan Melbourne and eastern Victoria, designed to measure extremely subtle differences in gravity.

The Department said the multi-agency project was created by a collaboration involving the Surveyor-General Victoria, the Geological Survey of Victoria and Geoscience Australia.

“The Earth’s gravitational field varies slightly from place to place due to the density of rocks below the surface and distance from the centre of the Earth,” the Department said.

“Collecting a consistent data set of gravity variations across Victoria has several applications, including mapping and resource management,” it said.

“New data will update measurements from Global Position Systems (GPS) to allow Victorians to accurately locate features marked on our maps.”

The Department said improved GPS positioning was important to economic activities that increasingly relied on accurate GPS, such as modern farming operations, infrastructure design and construction, land management, and recreational activities.

“The new data will advance the geoscience that assists the Victorian Government to manage its infrastructure and natural hazards,” it said.

“It will also support the state’s resources sector, which could aid regional jobs and economic growth.”

The Department said the survey was set to commence in late 2020 and was expected to cause minimal disruption to people and the environment.

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