The EGM96 geoid map depicts hypothetical sealevel due to gravitational variations on the Earth's surface:
It places one of the highest areas in the northern part of the Atlantic ocean.
The gravitational map from the GRACE mission depicts gravitational acceleration due to the same variations on the Earth's surface:
It places an area of high acceleration in the northern part of the Atlantic ocean.
In fact, all of the high sealevel areas correspond to areas of high gravitational acceleration.
I would have expected the opposite.
Why is this so? I am assuming the images are correct. Why would higher gravitational acceleration lead to higher sealevels instead of pulling the water closer to Earth's center and leading to lower sealevels? Or am I misreading the images?