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[IGSMAIL-4962]: IGS 10th Anniversary Symposium and Workshop
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IGS Electronic Mail 02 Jul 08:26:59 PDT 2004 Message Number 4962
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Author: John M. Dow
Dear Colleagues and Friends of the IGS,
This past March, nearly 300 people gathered to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of
the International GPS Service at a symposium and workshop hosted by the
University of Bern in Switzerland. Ten years ago, on 1 January 1994 the IGS
began official operations as a recognized and approved service of the
International Association of Geodesy. In Bern, we recalled many of its
accomplishments since the initial planning of the activity in 1989 and the proof
of concept Test Campaign from June through September of 1992, and noted the
incredible progress to date. Step by step, the incremental advances seem small
until one looks back and realizes just how far the IGS has come. Today the IGS
counts more than 200 contributing organizations in over 80 countries and a
tracking network of 350+ stations, with many supporting regional networks
consisting of stations too numerous to count, all this providing a fundamental
framework for supporting a myriad of activities and applications.
Symposium March 3
-----------------
The Symposium sessions on Wednesday, March 3 were aimed at:
· celebrating the history, development and accomplishments of the IGS over
the last decade and how this has benefited multi-disciplinary applications
· providing a view of the evolution and future of Global Navigation Satellite
Systems over the next 10-20 years, and
· exploring the future of international cooperation, use of GNSS, and the
evolving role of IGS.
Our invited speakers in the four sessions of the day covered a variety of key
topics:
- From IAG and IGS, an overview of IGS history, development and IGS
responsibilities and strategic directions
- A fascinating session on Scientific Research and Applications
?applications to Earth science, atmospheric research, gravity and space missions
and earthquake/deformation science
- A topic on everyone's mind: the new and evolving GNSS systems. The
symposium was honoured with the active participation of representatives from
GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo systems and program offices
- The final session targeted International Cooperation , Education and
Outreach, which are key elements of the IGS strategic objectives. This session
included a view of the future of international GNSS within the framework of the
UN GNSS Action Team, an industry perspective of IGS impact and influence, the
critical need for educating the next generation, advancements in earthquake
research China, and the importance of incorporating modernised GPS signals as
soon as possible.
The symposium concluded with a Panel Discussion on "Visions for the Future".
This forum provided an hour of lively discussion focussing on the following
questions addressed to the panel:
What is your vision for the future of GNSS and the breadth of its uses?
How should IGS evolve in order to meet the operational and scientific
challenges of the future?
A summary of the day and the panel will be included in the proceedings.
Technical Workshop, 1,2,4 & 5 March , 2004
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IGS workshops set the stage for the future directions and developments of the
IGS. Sessions are proposed and the chairs and members draft an "IGS Position
Paper" on a specific topic related to the IGS components: stations, networks,
data centers, analyses, projects or working groups. These are the basis for
recommendations that are brought forward for discussion, adoption, and
subsequent implementation within the IGS. Colleagues come together at IGS
workshops to discuss the position papers and proposed recommendations ? they
consider, debate, argue (sometimes heatedly) on the exact priorities and how to
realise them. At this 10th IGS Workshop there were 10 of these papers to review
(!). This workshop generated numerous recommendations in each session, as the
IGS continues the trend of cooperative improvement. Included below and also in a
separate e-mail are the final recommendations generated from these very
productive session discussions. The final session of the workshop was a summary
session where the session chairs provided final details to the entire group of
attendees.
The sessions of this workshop were:
- IGS Reference Frame Maintenance
- Reference Frame Issues
- Real-time Aspects
- Network Issues
- Data Transfer and Data Centers
- Integrity Monitoring of IGS Products
- Global Navigation Satellite Systems
- Precise Orbit Determination
- Antenna Effects
- Ground Based Neutral Atmosphere and Ionosphere Sounding
The recommendations and the forthcoming proceedings will provide more detail.
Some of the key issues generating much discussion (which continues) deal with
the reference frame stabilization and improvement; how the IGS moves towards
real-time processes; adoption of absolute antenna calibrations; an approach to
generating a new IGS troposphere product; and positioning the IGS to influence
and integrate future GNSS, as has been demonstrated with GLONASS.
Of Special Note?
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On behalf of the attendees, I wish to extend sincere thanks to our sponsors who
provided additional resources for a memorable event, by staffing their exhibits,
sponsoring coffee breaks, supporting the ice breaker, appetizers and other
enjoyable, even magical activities:
Leica Geosystems
Trimble
Thales Navigation
Septentrio Satellite Navigation
SwissTopo,
Javad Navigation Systems
The official dinner on Wednesday evening was held at the Kursaal and was enjoyed
by all participants. The food was excellent and the magic show by Siderato (also
known as Prof. Dr. Peter Murner, Academic Director at the University of Bern),
tailored to the IGS gathering, was a real highlight of the evening!
IGS Governing Board Update
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The Board met on Sunday 29 February, and also met for a summary session at the
close of the workshop, on Friday 5 March. The GB welcomed Prof. Chris Rizos
from the University of New South Wales as an appointed member. Prof. Markus
Rothacher, Technical University of Munich and Dr. Jim Zumberge, NASA/JPL were
both re-elected as AC representatives last December. Jim Ray of NOAA/NGS
resigned his position as analysis representative effective at the end of 2003
and at the March GB meeting, the Board appointed Peng Fang of Scripps
Institution of Oceanography to fill the vacated position. Prof. Geoff Blewitt,
University of Nevada at Reno, was welcomed in 2003 as the IAG representative to
the GB. All terms are for four years. The current listing of the IGS GB is
included at the end of this message.
From the GB meetings in Bern, a few points can be highlighted. The IGS can
expect a new Global Data Center to be established in Korea by the Korean
Astronomic Observatory based on a proposal to the Board that was approved last
year.
The IAG had recently gone through a significant restructuring placing services
at the same level as the commissions. IGS fully supports this new organization.
Further information on the IAG can be found at http://www.iag-aig.org/
IGS is engaged in the new IAG project chaired by the former chair of the IGS,
Prof. Chris Reigber. This project is GGOS ? Global Geodetic Observing System.
The IAG and GGOS are focusing on greatly improving the visibility of the
geodetic systems as a fundamental requirement for the Global Earth Observing
System (GEO) objectives and attempting to formulate a theme within the IGOS
partnership. GGOS is just forming and as plans become more concrete you will be
informed.
The IGS relations with BIPM continues to strengthen. Ken Senior of the Naval
Research Lab assumed in 2003 the role of IGS clock products coordinator for the
joint IGS-BIPM time and frequency activity. Dr. Felicitas Arias will join the
IGS GB as the BIPM-CCTF representative to the IGS, and Senior will reciprocate
attending BIPM-CCTF meetings.
IGS Network Coordinator Dr. Angelyn Moore has done an excellent job in preparing
the IGS Site Guidelines and Site Checklist ? see
http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/igsnetwork/netindex.html. She has also coordinated the
refocussing of IGSMail for major announcements relevant to the entire IGS
community, including product and data center announcements, new or discontinued
stations, as well as meeting and publication notices. IGSMail has been a key
mechanism for communications within the IGS since 1993 and there was an interest
in separating the many detailed technical and day-to-day operational notices
into a separate mail list. These were split into a mail list called IGSStation
as of April 2004.
The IGS GB has contributed to the UN Action Team on GNSS since 2002. IGS was
fortunate to welcome Ken Hodgkins, Co-Chair of the UN GNSS Action Team, to the
symposium. He provided a summary presentation of the team's activities and
recommendations to COPUOS. The final report of the team is available through
the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs (A/AC.105/C.1/L.274) or from the IGS
Central Bureau, with a key recommendation (supported by the IGS GB) that an
International Coordinating Committee on GNSS be established, bringing system
providers and international user organizations together to facilitate
communications and coordination. Another key recommendation of the report
strongly endorses the establishment of AFREF ? a continental reference systems
for Africa - long supported by the IGS and IAG, but to date moving slowly due to
severe lack of resources and the difficulties faced by developing nations. (See
the symposium proceedings for more information.)
The GB is also in the process of revising the Terms of Reference (ToR) to better
reflect the evolving organization and the breadth of activities. The revised ToR
should be complete by the end of 2004. The Board continues to strive to
implement the Strategic Plan, and will meet over the next year to review the
plan and revise it accordingly. The Plan is available at the IGS Website
maintained by the Central Bureau ? all publications can be viewed at
http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/pubs.html.
This summarizes the recent activities of the IGS and the Governing Board. To
quote Geoff Blewitt, "The success of the IGS is indicated by what it enables."
The IGS could not do this without the efforts of each of you ? many thanks for
your continued contribution and commitment to the IGS. If you have any
questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
John M. Dow
Acknowledgements and thanks to the following Committees
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Scientific Program Committee, IGS Workshop:
Gerd Gendt, Chair, ACC
Angie Moore , Co-chair, Network Coord.
Robert Weber Co-chair, former ACC
Urs Hugentobler
Richard Langley
Jim Ray
Markus Rothacher
Jim Zumberge
Michael Meindl, Associate Member, Proceedings Editor
IGS Symposium Committee:
John Dow, Chair
Norm Beck
Gerhard Beutler
Ruth Neilan, Co-chair
Michael Meindl
Local Organizing Committee, AIUB, University of Bern:
Werner Gurtner, Chair,
Heike Bock
Pierre Fridez
Christine Gurtner
Michael Meindl
IGS Governing Board
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· John Dow/ESA/European Space Operations Centre, Germany/ Board Chair,
Network Representative
· Yoaz Bar-Sever/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA/Troposphere Working Group,
Chair
· Norman Beck/Natural Resources Canada/Network Representative
· Gerhard Beutler/University of Bern, Switzerland/IAG Representative
· Geoff Blewitt/University of Nevada ? Reno, USA/IAG Representative
· Henno Boomkamp/ESA/European Space Operations Center, Germany/LEO Working
Group, Chair
· Claude Boucher/Institut Geographique National, France/IERS Representative
to IGS
· tbd/tbd/IGS Representative to the IERS
· Mark Caissy/Natural Resources Canada/Real-time Working Group, Chair
· Loic Daniel/Institut Geographique National, France/Data Center
Representative
· Peng Fang/Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA/Analysis Representative
· Manuel Hernandez/Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain/Ionosphere
Working Group, Chair
· Remi Ferland/Natural Resources Canada/IGS Reference Frame Coordinator
· Gerd Gendt/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/Analysis Center
Coordinator
· Carey Noll/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA/Data Center Working Group,
Chair
· Ruth Neilan/IGS Central Bureau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Director of IGS
Central Bureau
· David Pugh/Southampton Oceanography Centre, UK/President FAGS,
Representative
· Christoph Reigber/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/Appointed (IGS)
· Chris Rizos/University of New South Wales, Australia/Appointed (IGS)
· Markus Rothacher/Technical University of Munich, Germany/Analysis
Representative
· Tilo Schoene/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/TIGA Pilot Project,
Chair
· Ken Senior/Naval Research Laboratory, USA/IGS Clock Products Coordinator
· Robert Serafin/National Center for Atmospheric Research, USA/Appointed
(IGS)
· Jim Slater/National Imagery and Mapping Agency, USA/GLONASS Pilot Project,
Chair
· Robert Weber/Technical University of Vienna, Austria/GNSS Working Group,
Chair
· Peizhen Zhang/China Seismological Bureau, Institute of Geology/Appointed
(IGS)
· Jim Zumberge/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA/Analysis Representative
· Angelyn Moore/IGS Central Bureau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Board
Secretariat, Network Coordinator