The Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System (IGGOS) viewed from the perspective of history

Towards the end of the 19th century, geodetic observation techniques allowed it to create geodetic networks of continental size. The insight that big networks can only be set up through international collaboration led to the establishment of an international collaboration called “Central European Arc Measurement”, the predecessor of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), in 1864. The scope of IAG activities was extended already in the 19th century to include gravity.At the same time, astrometric observations could be made with an accuracy of a few tenths of an arcsecond. The accuracy stayed roughly on this level, till the space age opened the door for milliarcsecond (mas) astrometry. Astrometric observations allowed it at the end of the 19th century to prove the existence of polar motion. The insight that polar motion is almost unpredictable led to the establishment of the International Latitude Service (ILS) in 1899.The IAG and the ILS were the tools (a) to establish and maintain the terrestrial and the celestial reference systems, including the transformation parameters between the two systems, and (b) to determine the Earth's gravity field.Satellite-geodetic techniques and astrometric radio-interferometric techniques revolutionized geodesy in the second half of the 20th century. Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and methods based on the interferometric exploitation of microwave signals (stemming from Quasars and/or from satellites) allow it to realize the celestial reference frame with (sub-)mas accuracy, the global terrestrial reference frame with (sub-)cm accuracy, and to monitor the transformation between the systems with a high time resolution and (sub-)mas accuracy. This development led to the replacement of the ILS through the IERS, the International Earth Rotation Service in 1989.In the pre-space era, the Earth's gravity field could “only” be established by terrestrial methods. The determination of the Earth's gravitational field was revolutionized twice in the space era, first by observing geodetic satellites with optical, Laser, and Doppler techniques, secondly by implementing a continuous tracking with spaceborne GPS receivers in connection with satellite gradiometry. The sequence of the satellite gravity missions CHAMP, GRACE, and GOCE allow it to name the first decade of the 21st century the “decade of gravity field determination”.The techniques to establish and monitor the geometric and gravimetric reference frames are about to reach a mature state and will be the prevailing geodetic tools of the following decades. It is our duty to work in the spirit of our forefathers by creating similarly stable organizations within IAG with the declared goal to produce the geometric and gravimetric reference frames (including their time evolution) with the best available techniques and to make accurate and consistent products available to wider Earth sciences community as a basis for meaningful research in global change. IGGOS, the Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System, is IAG's attempt to achieve these goals. It is based on the well-functioning and well-established network of IAG services.     

The Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System (IGGOS) viewed from the perspective of history

Towards the end of the 19th century, geodetic observation techniques allowed it to create geodetic networks of continental size. The insight that big networks can only be set up through international collaboration led to the establishment of an international collaboration called “Central European Arc Measurement”, the predecessor of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), in 1864. The scope of IAG activities was extended already in the 19th century to include gravity.At the same time, astrometric observations could be made with an accuracy of a few tenths of an arcsecond. The accuracy stayed roughly on this level, till the space age opened the door for milliarcsecond (mas) astrometry. Astrometric observations allowed it at the end of the 19th century to prove the existence of polar motion. The insight that polar motion is almost unpredictable led to the establishment of the International Latitude Service (ILS) in 1899.The IAG and the ILS were the tools (a) to establish and maintain the terrestrial and the celestial reference systems, including the transformation parameters between the two systems, and (b) to determine the Earth's gravity field.Satellite-geodetic techniques and astrometric radio-interferometric techniques revolutionized geodesy in the second half of the 20th century. Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and methods based on the interferometric exploitation of microwave signals (stemming from Quasars and/or from satellites) allow it to realize the celestial reference frame with (sub-)mas accuracy, the global terrestrial reference frame with (sub-)cm accuracy, and to monitor the transformation between the systems with a high time resolution and (sub-)mas accuracy. This development led to the replacement of the ILS through the IERS, the International Earth Rotation Service in 1989.In the pre-space era, the Earth's gravity field could “only” be established by terrestrial methods. The determination of the Earth's gravitational field was revolutionized twice in the space era, first by observing geodetic satellites with optical, Laser, and Doppler techniques, secondly by implementing a continuous tracking with spaceborne GPS receivers in connection with satellite gradiometry. The sequence of the satellite gravity missions CHAMP, GRACE, and GOCE allow it to name the first decade of the 21st century the “decade of gravity field determination”.The techniques to establish and monitor the geometric and gravimetric reference frames are about to reach a mature state and will be the prevailing geodetic tools of the following decades. It is our duty to work in the spirit of our forefathers by creating similarly stable organizations within IAG with the declared goal to produce the geometric and gravimetric reference frames (including their time evolution) with the best available techniques and to make accurate and consistent products available to wider Earth sciences community as a basis for meaningful research in global change. IGGOS, the Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System, is IAG's attempt to achieve these goals. It is based on the well-functioning and well-established network of IAG services.     

地震研究中的大地测量

本文简要回顾了我国大地测量工作者将大地测量技术应用于地震监测和预测的历程。介绍了过去几十年在地震监测和预测中大地测量工作取得的主要进展和成绩,讨论了存在的不足和改进的地方。并且结合近二十年来以3S(GPS、RS、GIS)为代表的高新技术的引入给对地观测技术带来的革命性变化,使得观测结果的精度和时空域中密度大为改观这一事实,对地震研究中的大地测量的发展方向提出了一些看法和建议。     

Improved Constraints on Models of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment: A Review of the Contribution of Ground-Based Geodetic Observations

The provision of accurate models of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) is presently a priority need in climate studies, largely due to the potential of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data to be used to determine accurate and continent-wide assessments of ice mass change and hydrology. However, modelled GIA is uncertain due to insufficient constraints on our knowledge of past glacial changes and to large simplifications in the underlying Earth models. Consequently, we show differences between models that exceed several mm/year in terms of surface displacement for the two major ice sheets: Greenland and Antarctica. Geodetic measurements of surface displacement offer the potential for new constraints to be made on GIA models, especially when they are used to improve structural features of the Earth’s interior as to allow for a more realistic reconstruction of the glaciation history. We present the distribution of presently available campaign and continuous geodetic measurements in Greenland and Antarctica and summarise surface velocities published to date, showing substantial disagreement between techniques and GIA models alike. We review the current state-of-the-art in ground-based geodesy (GPS, VLBI, DORIS, SLR) in determining accurate and precise surface velocities. In particular, we focus on known areas of need in GPS observation level models and the terrestrial reference frame in order to advance geodetic observation precision/accuracy toward 0.1 mm/year and therefore further constrain models of GIA and subsequent present-day ice mass change estimates.     

Development of a terrestrial reference frame in the Russian Federation

The present article is written in response to the recent call of the United Nations for the enhanced international cooperation of different countries on global geodesy to build the Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF). It reviews historical landmarks in the development of the State Geodetic Reference Frame on the territory of Russia over the last two centuries. It discusses major steps in creating the Russian terrestrial reference frame by both the ground-based and space geodesy methods relying upon the satellite observation techniques. Currently the State Geodetic Reference Frame undergoes a radical improvement in order to effectively implement the potential of modern satellite technologies through the use of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). We outline the current status of the National Geodetic Network in Russia, its hierarchical structure and accuracy. We pay a particular attention to the high-precision State Geodetic Coordinate System (GSK-2011), created simultaneously along with the global reference-ellipsoid, and designed for various types of users to conduct the land surveying and mapping in Russia. We also present the geocentric coordinate system (PZ-90.11) used for navigating space missions, solving various problems of global geodesy, and supporting the continuous operation of GLONASS.     

The interdisciplinary role of space geodesy—Revisited

In 1988 the interdisciplinary role of space geodesy has been discussed by a prominent group of leaders in the fields of geodesy and geophysics at an international workshop in Erice (Mueller and Zerbini, 1989). The workshop may be viewed as the starting point of a new era of geodesy as a discipline of Earth sciences. Since then enormous progress has been made in geodesy in terms of satellite and sensor systems, observation techniques, data processing, modelling and interpretation. The establishment of a Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) which is currently underway is a milestone in this respect. Wegener served as an important role model for the definition of GGOS. In turn, Wegener will benefit from becoming a regional entity of GGOS.What are the great challenges of the realisation of a 10^?9 global integrated observing system? Geodesy is potentially able to provide – in the narrow sense of the words – “metric and weight” to global studies of geo-processes. It certainly can meet this expectation if a number of fundamental challenges, related to issues such as the international embedding of GGOS, the realisation of further satellite missions and some open scientific questions can be solved. Geodesy is measurement driven. This is an important asset when trying to study the Earth as a system. However its guideline must be: “What are the right and most important observables to deal with the open scientific questions?”.     

Terrestrial reference frame requirements within GGOS perspective

One of the main objectives of the promising and challenging IAG project GGOS (Global Geodetic Observing System) is the availability of a global and accurate Terrestrial Reference Frame for Earth Science applications, particularly Earth Rotation, Gravity Field and geophysics. With the experience gained within the activities related to the International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) and its realization, the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), the combination method proved its efficiency to establish a global frame benefiting from the strengths of the various space geodetic techniques and, in the same time, underlining their biases and weaknesses. In this paper we focus on the limitation factors inherent to each individual technique and to the combination, such as the current status of the observing networks, distribution of the co-location sites and their quality and accuracy of the combined frame parameters. Results of some TRF and EOP simultaneous combinations using CATREF software will be used to illustrate the current achievement and to help drawing up future goals and improvements in the GGOS framework. Beyond these technical aspects, the overall visibility and acceptance of ITRS/ITRF as international standard for science and applications is also discussed.     

Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System (IGGOS)—science rationale

The International Association of Geodesy has decided to establish an Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System (IGGOS). The objective of IGGOS is to integrate in a well-defined global terrestrial reference frame the three fundamental pillars of geodesy, which are the determination of all variations of surface geometry of our planet (land, ice and ocean surfaces), of the irregularities in Earth rotation sub-divided in changes of nutation, polar motion and spin rate, and of the spatial and temporal variations of gravity and of the geoid. This integration will have to be done with a relative precision of 1 part-per-billion and be maintained stable in space and time over decades. IGGOS will quantify on a global scale surface changes, mass anomalies, mass transport and mass exchange and exchange in angular momentum in system Earth. It will be a novel and unique contribution to Earth system and Global Change research. It is intended to make IGGOS part of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS).     

Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System (IGGOS)—science rationale

The International Association of Geodesy has decided to establish an Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System (IGGOS). The objective of IGGOS is to integrate in a well-defined global terrestrial reference frame the three fundamental pillars of geodesy, which are the determination of all variations of surface geometry of our planet (land, ice and ocean surfaces), of the irregularities in Earth rotation sub-divided in changes of nutation, polar motion and spin rate, and of the spatial and temporal variations of gravity and of the geoid. This integration will have to be done with a relative precision of 1 part-per-billion and be maintained stable in space and time over decades. IGGOS will quantify on a global scale surface changes, mass anomalies, mass transport and mass exchange and exchange in angular momentum in system Earth. It will be a novel and unique contribution to Earth system and Global Change research. It is intended to make IGGOS part of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS).     

Terrestrial reference frame requirements within GGOS perspective

One of the main objectives of the promising and challenging IAG project GGOS (Global Geodetic Observing System) is the availability of a global and accurate Terrestrial Reference Frame for Earth Science applications, particularly Earth Rotation, Gravity Field and geophysics. With the experience gained within the activities related to the International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) and its realization, the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), the combination method proved its efficiency to establish a global frame benefiting from the strengths of the various space geodetic techniques and, in the same time, underlining their biases and weaknesses. In this paper we focus on the limitation factors inherent to each individual technique and to the combination, such as the current status of the observing networks, distribution of the co-location sites and their quality and accuracy of the combined frame parameters. Results of some TRF and EOP simultaneous combinations using CATREF software will be used to illustrate the current achievement and to help drawing up future goals and improvements in the GGOS framework. Beyond these technical aspects, the overall visibility and acceptance of ITRS/ITRF as international standard for science and applications is also discussed.     

中国大陆地壳运动的GPS观测及相关动力学研究

现代空载大地测量技术的发展极大地改变了传统大地测量学的观测手段、研究内容和范围,促进了地球动力学领域的研究．本文回顾过去近二十年来在中国大陆进行的全国及区域性GPS观测和取得的成果,重点评述在GPS相关动力学领域的研究进展和存在的问题,对我国GPS观测及动力学研究今后的发展提出初步见解．     

华北地区大地震矩释放率和GPS应变率的一致性研究

GPS测量技术可以在较大地区范围内获得高精度地壳形变速率。稳定的应变速率提供了精确确定地震活动率的机会。本文运用Kostrov(1974)的公式将经平滑的华北地区应变速率转化为矩释放率，并与运用1303年洪洞地震以来的地震目录计算的矩释放率进行比较，发现两者之比南北向为60．6％，东西向为68．9％，北东剪切分量为104．1％。近似为1的比率表明了GPS测量结果的可靠性。这个结果对结合历史地震及大地形变测量估计矩释放进行地震危险性评估具有一定参考意义。     

地球参考框架的发展现状和未来展望

地球参考框架是国家重要的空间基础设施,是地球上人类所有活动的空间参考基准。本文首先阐述了国际地球参考框架（International Terrestrial Reference Frame,ITRF）的发展现状,重点评述了ITRF的建立与维持,针对ITRF的发展现状提出了存在的问题;其次,以ITRF与2000国家大地坐标系（China Geodetic Coordinate System 2000,CGCS2000）的关系及现状为切入点,探讨了我国建立北斗坐标系的必要性,介绍了建立北斗坐标系的基本思路以及初始实现;最后,对地球参考框架的未来发展进行了展望。     

GPS/重力边值问题的求解及应用

从分析GPS技术在确定地球形状中的作用入手，论述了建立一类新的大地边值问题——GPS/重力边值问题的意义，给出了GPS/重力边值问题的定义及数学描述，推导出GPS/重力边值问题的逼近解式，并给出了应用GPS/重力边值问题确定（似）大地水准面、地面垂线偏差及外部重力场的基本公式. 对GPS技术用于物理大地测量的优势及有待解决的问题进行了简要归纳.     

我国大地重力学和固体潮研究进展

地球重力学是研究重力场时空分布及其物理机制的一门学科．地球重力场的空间分布通常可用于三个方面：一是空间科学和大地测量学，主要是利用地表的重力观测对在其上测得的几何量加以归算，以及给出重力场的高空赋值以修正卫星和近地飞行器的轨道；二是反演地球内部结构，主要是三维密度的不均匀分布，并对诸如地慢对流等作约束；三是勘探在时间变化方面，最主要影响来自固体潮，当然还有许多内部力源导致动力学效应．本文着重对我国大地重力研究和固体潮研究的进展作一回顾．     

Geodetic evidence on segmentation of Cascadia subduction zone based on episodic tremors and slips using multivariate harmonic analysis of GPS time series

Episodic tremor and slip (ETS) events with different recurrence intervals have been observed in abundance all along the Cascadia subduction zone margin. Analysis of seismic records as well as Global Positioning System (GPS) time series of the Pacific Northwest Geodetic Array (PANGA) has suggested three distinct coherent zones for the occurrence of these events. In this paper multivariate harmonic estimation has been deployed for further analysis of the segmentation in this area. Raw time series of 43 permanent GPS stations have been used for this purpose. The GPS stations have been geographically divided into three distinct groups including those in the northern, middle and southern parts of the study area. After the reduction of time series for the linear trend as well as annual and semiannual effects, the data series of each group has been analyzed using the multivariate harmonic estimation technique. Subsequently, different combinations of GPS stations including the stations located in the southern, northern and middle zones have been analyzed. Furthermore, the northern and middle, southern and middle as well as the northern and southern zone pair combinations have also been analyzed. The statistical measure devised for identifying the significant frequencies suggests common periods that are consistent with the recurrence intervals of the ETS events already reported for each of the above three geographic zones. Moreover, the method can provide geodetic evidence, in addition to geophysical ones, on the segmentation of ETSs, provided that the adopted time series are of a sufficient length. The geodetic evidence obtained in this research is consistent with the recurrence intervals as well as the boundaries obtained by the analysis of seismic records. Contrary to univariate harmonic estimation, multivariate approach using spatio-temporal correlation of the GPS time series is capable to detect those ETSs whose impacts on the time series are weak.     

Geodetic Measurements of Crustal Deformation in the Western Mediterranean and Europe

—Geodetic measurements of crustal deformation over large areas deforming at slow rates (<5 mm/yr over more than 1000 km), such as the Western Mediterranean and Western Europe, are still a challenge because (1) these rates are close to the current resolution of the geodetic techniques, (2) inaccuracies in the reference frame implementation may be on the same order as the tectonic velocities. We present a new velocity field for Western Europe and the Western Mediterranean derived from a rigorous combination of (1) a selection of sites from the ITRF2000 solution, (2) a subset of sites from the European Permanent GPS Network solution, (3) a solution of the French national geodetic permanent GPS network (RGP), and (4) a solution of a permanent GPS network in the western Alps (REGAL). The resulting velocity field describes horizontal crustal motion at 64 sites in Western Europe with an accuracy on the order of 1 mm/yr or better. Its analysis shows that Central Europe behaves rigidly at a 0.4 mm/yr level and can therefore be used to define a stable Europe reference frame. In that reference frame, we find that most of Europe, including areas west of the Rhine graben, the Iberian peninsula, the Ligurian basin and the Corsica-Sardinian block behaves rigidly at a 0.5 mm/yr level. In a second step, we map recently published geodetic results in the reference frame previously defined. Geodetic data confirm a counterclockwise rotation of the Adriatic microplate with respect to stable Europe, that appears to control the strain pattern along its boundaries. Active deformation in the Alps, Apennines, and Dinarides is probably driven by the independent motion of the Adriatic plate rather than by the Africa-Eurasia convergence. The analysis of a global GPS solution and recently published new estimates for the African plate kinematics indicate that the Africa-Eurasia plate motion may be significantly different from the NUVEL1A values. In particular, geodetic solutions show that the convergence rate between Africa and stable Europe may be 30–60% slower than the NUVEL1A prediction and rotated 10–30° counterclockwise in the Mediterranean.     

Geophysical excitation of the Earth orientation parameters EOP and its contribution to GGOS

We discuss how the geophysical fluids affect the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) and in particular polar motion and nutation. We show that the Earth orientation modeling is a perfect example of the integrated approach recommended by GGOS. GGOS considers the Earth system as a whole, including the solid Earth as well as the fluid components; geodesy observes and models the dynamics inside this system through the static and time-varying gravity field, the station displacements, and the Earth orientation parameters and the associated length-of-day variation, nutation and polar motion. Global-scale transfer in the Earth system and its geodetic consequences is proposed to be the central theme of GGOS. We show that the Earth orientation parameters perfectly fit this theme.     

Geophysical excitation of the Earth orientation parameters EOP and its contribution to GGOS

We discuss how the geophysical fluids affect the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) and in particular polar motion and nutation. We show that the Earth orientation modeling is a perfect example of the integrated approach recommended by GGOS. GGOS considers the Earth system as a whole, including the solid Earth as well as the fluid components; geodesy observes and models the dynamics inside this system through the static and time-varying gravity field, the station displacements, and the Earth orientation parameters and the associated length-of-day variation, nutation and polar motion. Global-scale transfer in the Earth system and its geodetic consequences is proposed to be the central theme of GGOS. We show that the Earth orientation parameters perfectly fit this theme.