Oceanic Loading

Oceanic loading (often referred to as ocean tidal loading) describes the elastic deformation of the Earth’s crust caused by the temporal redistribution of ocean water masses, primarily due to ocean tides. The varying water load exerts pressure on the solid Earth, leading to vertical and horizontal displacements of the crust.

In geodesy, oceanic loading must be accurately modeled and corrected in space-geodetic observations such as GNSS, VLBI, SLR, and gravimetry. These loading effects can reach several centimeters in coastal regions and significantly influence positioning accuracy, reference frame stability, gravity field determination, and Earth rotation studies.