On Ambiguities in Definitions and Applications of Bouguer Gravity Anomaly

Over decades diverse definitions and use of the Bouguer gravity anomaly found place in geodetic and geophysical applications. We discuss three distinct Bouguer anomalies. Their definitions vary due to the presence or absence of various effects (corrections), such as the geophysical indirect effect and the secondary indirect effects. Here we discuss the significance and magnitude of these effects. We point out the different understanding of the Bouguer anomaly in geophysics compared to geodesy. We also address the diverse demands on the gravity data in geophysical and geodetic applications, such as the issue of the topographic density and the lower boundary in the volume integral for the topographic correction, as well as the need for the bathymetric correction. Recommendations are made to bring the definitions and terminology into accord with the potential theory.