THE GEODETIC SURVEY OF CANADA

Abstract

Shortly after the inception of the Geodetic Survey of Canada in 1905, reconnaissance for primary triangulation was commenced in the Ottawa-Montreal area. About the same time, precise levelliilg operations were begun from a bench mark already established by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey near the International border at Rouses Point in Quebec.     

GEODETIC WORK IN INDIA—WAR AND POST-WAR

Abstract

Although during World War II field work on geodetic subjects other than those directly connected with the war effort remained practically in abeyance, the war provided unique opportunities for the study and execution of several interesting problems such as the linking of Indian triangulation with Iraq and Iran on the one hand and Siam and Malaya on the other. A detailed account of the Geodetic work of the Survey of India during the period 1939-47 is given in the Survey of India “Technical Report 1947—Part III, Geodetic Work”.     

NOTES ON THE GEODETIC SURVEY OF SOUTHERN RHODESIA

Abstract

Triangulation.—Apart from Simms' Geodetic Chain, Gordon's Chain, the Copper Queen Limb, and a section of the Victoria and Umtali Series, all the primary triangulation shown on the accompanying map has been executed since 1933. The work of Simms and Gordon has been remodelled, however, being greatly strengthened, and these chains are now called Simms' and Gordon's Series. For an explanation and plan of the above Series, see “A Note on the Trigonometrical Survey of S. Rhodesia”, in the Empire Survey Review, no. 27, vol. iv.     

The GPS Toolbox ITRF Transformations

The GPS Toolbox is dedicated to highlighting algorithms and source code utilized by GPS engineers and scientists. If you have an interesting subroutine or program you would like to share with our readers, please pass it along so that we might continue to bring you this column; e-mail it to us at gps-toolbox@ngs.noaa.gov. To comment on any of the source code discussed here, or to leave a request for a piece of source code you may be looking for, visit our web site at http:/www.ngs.noaa.gov/gps-toolbox. This column is edited by Stephen Hilla, National Geodetic Survey, NOAA, Silver Spring, Maryland, and Mike Craymer, Geodetic Survey Division, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ? 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Initial relative positioning results using the global positioning system

The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) has become increasingly involved with research and development for relative positioning using the Global Positioning System (GPS). The NGS has procured two Macrometers^TM and is also a participant in the development of the Texas Instruments' TI4100. The Macrometers were delivered in March 1983 and 3 months of testing has now been completed. These data have been processed using a variety of newly developed processing techniques, and numerical intercomparisons of several base line solutions are given. A byproduct of one technique is the estimation of the relative variations of the ground clocks to the subnanosecond level. ^™Macrometer is a registered trademark of Macrometrics, Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Presented at the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, XVIII General Assembly, Hamburg, August 15–27, 1983.     

A TRIANGULATION SYSTEM FOR NEWFOUNDLAND

Abstract

Following a request from the Commission of Government of Newfoundland, the Canadian Government has consented to an arrangement whereby the Geodetic Survey of the Department of the Interior will assist the Island Government in laying down two main nets of triangulation as the basis for the survey development of Newfoundland. The completion of the final practical details was reached in Ottawa recently, and the work, it is expected, will extend over a period of five years.     

THE UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY: ITS WORK AND PRODUCTS

Abstract

As the name of the Coast and Geodetic Survey indicates, it is the agency of the United States Government which is responsible for geodetic control surveys. Originally our geodetic surveys were made for control of surveys of the coast and to provide a proper base for the nautical charts of the coastal waters. By Congressional action in 1871 these activities were expanded to furnish basic control for the interior of the country, including geodetic connections between the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts of the United States.     

The North American datum of 1983: Project methodology and execution

A new adjustment of the geodetic control networks in North America has been completed, resulting in a new continental datum—the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). The establishment ofNAD 83 was the result of an international project involving the National Geodetic Survey of the United States, the Geodetic Survey of Canada, and the Danish Geodetic Institute (responsible for surveying in Greenland). The geodetic data in Mexico and Central America were collected by the Inter American Geodetic Survey and validated by the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center. The fundamental task ofNAD 83 was a simultaneous least squares adjustment involving 266,436 stations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. The networks in Greenland, Hawaii, and the Caribbean islands were connected to the datum through Doppler satellite and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations. The computations were performed with respect to the ellipsoid of the Geodetic Reference System of 1980. The ellipsoid is positioned in such a way as to be geocentric, and its axes are oriented by the Bureau International de l'Heure Terrestrial System of 1984. The mathematical model for theNAD readjustment was the height-controlled three-dimensional system. The least squares adjustment involved 1,785,772 observations and 928,735 unknowns. The formation and solution of the normal equations were carried out according to the Helmert block method. [Authors' note:This article is a condensation of the final report of the NAD 83 project. The full report (Schwarz,1989) contains a more complete discussion of all the topics.]     

卫星重力场探测及空间和地面大地测量联合观测

国际大地测量与地球物理联合会(IUGG)第廿四届大会于2007年7月上旬在意大利举行,本文结合这次大会对重力卫星CHAMP、GRACE和GOCE的目前概况作简要介绍,对它们在探测地球重力场方面的进展进行了评述。对国际大地测量协会(IAG)提出的"全球大地测量观测系统GGOS"和"整合空间大地测量技术作为全球大地测量和地球物理观测系统的基础GGOS-D"项目中"共点"测量的重要性进行了评述,并对这类共点测量成果解算应注意事项进行了介绍。最后将国际大地测量与地球物理联合会(IUGG)主席和秘书长在第廿四届大会开幕式上的报告和答记者问摘编后作为本文附录供参考。     

The GPSTk: an open source GPS toolkit

Applied Research Laboratories, The University of Texas at Austin (ARL:UT) has established a cross platform open source software project called the GPSTk or the GPS Toolkit. The GPSTk consists of a library and collection of applications that support GPS research, analysis, and development. The code is released under the terms of the Lesser GNU Public License. The GPSTk supports a broad range of functionality. This includes reading and writing observations in standard formats, such as RINEX, BINEX, and SP3, ephemeris evaluation, position determination, receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM), atmospheric delay modeling, cycle slip detection and correction, and P-code generation. The GPSTk provides the core set of functionality that is used for GPS research and development at ARL:UT. ARL:UT has been involved with satellite navigation since Transit (the precursor to GPS) in the 1960s and is currently conducting research in a wide variety of GPS-related fields, including precise surveys, monitor station networks, and ionospheric studies. The GPSTk is a community-wide resource for all users of GPS and GNSS technology. Participation is welcomed in all areas including: bug reports, new algorithms, suggestions for improvement, and contributions of additional functionality or applications. ARL:UT continually improves the library, shepherds community participation, and is committed to the project’s development and maintenance. The GPS Toolbox is a column dedicated to highlighting algorithms and source code utilized by GPS Engineers and scientists. If you have an interesting program or software package you would like to share with our readers, please pass it along; e-mail it to us at gps-toolbox@ngs.noaa.gov. To comment on any of the source code discussed here, or to download source code, visit our website at . This column is edited by Stephen Hilla, National Geodetic Survey, NOAA, Silver Spring, Maryland, and Mike Craymer, Geodetic Survey Division, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.     

THE TRANSVAAL-SOUTHERN RHODESIA GEODETIC CONNEXION

Abstract

In the original geodetic series in Southern Rhodesia—completed by Mr Alexander Simms in 1901—the geographical coordinates of all stations were referred to the point SALISBURYas origin. The coordinates of SALISBURY were fixed by interchange of telegraphic signals with the Royal Observatory at the Cape for longitude, combined with astronomical determinations of time, latitude, and azimuth (see Vol. III, “Geodetic Survey of South Africa”).     

Centimeter-Level Positioning of a U. S. Coast Guard Buoy Tender

With the availability of high-accuracy, differential global positioning system (GPS) results in real-time, there is a new opportunity to use GPS to accurately measure a marine vessel's dynamic draft (settlement and squat) and 3D attitude (roll, pitch, and heading). The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) and the Coast Survey (CS), offices of the National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), propose to transfer this technology to the shipping industry. The overall goal of this project is to provide the position of a vessel's keel in real time to within 10 cm (about 4 inches) relative to the bottom of the shipping channel. In support of this phase of the project, there were three meetings hosted by the Port of Oakland, California and NOS to discuss the real-time positioning of vessels project. On December 3 and 4, 1996, CS, NGS, Trimble Navigation Ltd., and the U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) performed GPS tests on a USCG buoy-tender ship. GPS data were used to compute the vessel's dynamic draft and 3D attitude. During the test, five receivers continually collected data; one receiver was located at a base station on the USCG pier on Yerba Buena Island, and four were on the ship: two on the stern and two on the bow. CS installed a TSS-335B vertical reference unit (to measure heave, pitch, and roll) in the engine room of the ship. NOS processed the GPS data and computed the vessel's dynamic draft and 3D attitude. The results indicate that the linear equivalent to the vessel's dynamic draft and 3D attitude were accurate to the 10-cm level using GPS. It was also demonstrated how a ship can be used to measure local water-level changes and actual water-level values everywhere it travels. ? 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

THE GEODETIC EVIDENCE CONCERNING WEGENER'S HYPOTHESIS

Abstract

Before concluding the discussion of longitudes, a few notes have been collected to illustrate the kind of discordance which can be found in longitude determinations of a higher class than those reviewed above. In the 1926 World Determination of Longitudes, the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey parties at Niu, near Honolulu, made observations which disclose some ranges in derived longitudes which may be regarded as representative.     

AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE FOR TRIANGULATION

Abstract

Since 1929 much of the primary triangulation carried out by the Geodetic Service of Canada has been preceded by an aerial reconnaissance of the areas: during this reconnaissance a tentative selection is made of station sites, and likely lines of sight are indicated. Varied types of topography have been covered—mountainous, rolling, flat wooded, mountain valleys. In most cases there were three common factors: the areas were well watered with lakes and rivers which permitted low flying in safety with pontoonor skii-equipped planes, ground transportation was difficult, and no contour maps existed. In some of the areas existing maps were very incomplete; of a few, reconnaissance aerial maps were available in which the planimetry was good; the better the map the easier the aerial reconnaissance. In all cases it was considered necessary that the air operations be checked by ground visits to the tentatively selected stations.     

Automated and continual determination of radio telescope reference points with sub-mm accuracy: results from a campaign at the Onsala Space Observatory

The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) requires sub-mm accuracy, automated and continual determinations of the so-called local tie vectors at co-location stations. Co-location stations host instrumentation for several space geodetic techniques and the local tie surveys involve the relative geometry of the reference points of these instruments. Thus, these reference points need to be determined in a common coordinate system, which is a particular challenge for rotating equipment like radio telescopes for geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry. In this work we describe a concept to achieve automated and continual determinations of radio telescope reference points with sub-mm accuracy. We developed a monitoring system, including Java-based sensor communication for automated surveys, network adjustment and further data analysis. This monitoring system was tested during a monitoring campaign performed at the Onsala Space Observatory in the summer of 2012. The results obtained in this campaign show that it is possible to perform automated determination of a radio telescope reference point during normal operations of the telescope. Accuracies on the sub-mm level can be achieved, and continual determinations can be realized by repeated determinations and recursive estimation methods.     

EPOCH‘92全球GPS联测部分站资料的处理结果

ＩＧＳ在１９９２．６．２１～１９９２．９．２２组织了全球ＧＰＳ联测，在此期间的７．２６～８．８二周时间为加强观测，参加台站多达６００余个，用以研究ＧＰＳ的各个方面，取名为ＥＰＯＣＨ＇９２。本文对ＥＰＯＣＨ＇９２期间前后共１８天的全球分布的２４个站的资料进行了归算处理，得到的基线精度为５ｍｍ＋８．３５ｐｐｂ，定轨精度好于２ｍ，地球定向参数ｘｐ，ｙｐ解的精度约为１ｍａｓ。     

The International Association of Geodesy 1862 to 1922: from a regional project to an international organization

Geodesy, by definition, requires international collaboration on a global scale. An organized cooperation started in 1862, and has become todays International Association of Geodesy (IAG). The roots of modern geodesy in the 18th century, with arc measurements in several parts of the world, and national geodetic surveys in France and Great Britain, are explained. The manifold local enterprises in central Europe, which happened in the first half of the 19th century, are described in some detail as they prepare the foundation for the following regional project. Simultaneously, Gauss, Bessel and others developed a more sophisticated definition of the Earths figure, which includes the effect of the gravity field. In 1861, the retired Prussian general J.J. Baeyer took up earlier ideas from Schumacher, Gauss, Struve and others, to propose a Central European Arc Measurement in order to study the figure of the Earth in that region. This led to a scientific organization, which soon extended from Central Europe to the whole continent and later to the globe, and changed its name in 1886 to Internationale Erdmessung (International Geodetic Association). The scientific programme also widened remarkably from more local studies based on geometric data to regional and global investigations, with gravity measurements as an important source of information. The Central Bureau of the Internationale Erdmessung was hosted at the Prussian Geodetic Institute in Potsdam, and with Baeyer as Director, developed as an efficient tool of the Association. The scientific research extended and deepened after 1886, when F.R. Helmert became Director of the Central Bureau. A stronger international participation then took place, while the influence of the German states reduced. Of great practical importance were questions of standardization and reference systems, but first attempts to interpret gravity field variations and to monitor geodynamic phenomena by geodetic methods indicated future tendencies. With the First World War and the expiry of the last international convention in 1916, the international cooperation within the frame of the Association practically came to an end, which ended the first epoch of the Association. Nevertheless, due to the strong commitment of two scientists from neutral countries, the International Latitude Service continued to observe polar motion and to deliver the data to the Berlin Central Bureau for evaluation. After the First World War, geodesy became one of the founding members of the International Union for Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), and formed one of its Sections (respectively Associations). It has been officially named the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) since 1932.     

GPS轨道插值方法

国际GNSS组织（IGS）中心提供的GPS卫星精密星历的时间间隔为15min,在GPS的实际应用中必须要对GPS轨道进行插值。常规的GPS轨道插值方法有Lagrange插值、Neville插值和Chebyshev拟合。对上述3种插值方法进行了详细分析,并用于GPS轨道插值;然后利用美国国家大地测量局（NGS）提供的GP...