Delivered-To: igsmail@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov From: John.Dow@esa.int To: igsmail@igscb.jpl.nasa.gov Message-ID: <41256EC5.005A4CD6.00@esocmail2.esoc.esa.int> Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2004 17:26:37 +0200 Subject: [IGSMAIL-4962]: IGS 10th Anniversary Symposium and Workshop Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Disposition: inline Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Sender: owner-igsmail Precedence: bulk ****************************************************************************** IGS Electronic Mail 02 Jul 08:26:59 PDT 2004 Message Number 4962 ****************************************************************************** Author: John M. Dow Dear Colleagues and Friends of the IGS, This past March, nearly 300 people gathered to celebrate the 10th Anniv= ersary 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 th= e 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 s= eem 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 an= d a tracking network of 350+ stations, with many supporting regional networ= ks consisting of stations too numerous to count, all this providing a fund= amental framework for supporting a myriad of activities and applications. Symposium March 3 ----------------- The Symposium sessions on Wednesday, March 3 were aimed at: =B7 celebrating the history, development and accomplishments of the = IGS over the last decade and how this has benefited multi-disciplinary applicati= ons =B7 providing a view of the evolution and future of Global Navigatio= n Satellite Systems over the next 10-20 years, and =B7 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 IG= S 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 framewor= k of the UN GNSS Action Team, an industry perspective of IGS impact and influenc= e, the critical need for educating the next generation, advancements in earth= quake research China, and the importance of incorporating modernised GPS sign= als as soon as possible. The symposium concluded with a Panel Discussion on "Visions for the Fut= ure". This forum provided an hour of lively discussion focussing on the follo= wing 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 scienti= fic challenges of the future? A summary of the day and the panel will be included in the proceed= ings. Technical Workshop, 1,2,4 & 5 March , 2004 ------------------------------------------- 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 Pos= ition Paper" on a specific topic related to the IGS components: stations, net= works, 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 I= GS workshops to discuss the position papers and proposed recommendations ?= they consider, debate, argue (sometimes heatedly) on the exact priorities an= d how to realise them. At this 10th IGS Workshop there were 10 of these papers t= o 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 g= roup 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 d= etail. Some of the key issues generating much discussion (which continues) dea= l with the reference frame stabilization and improvement; how the IGS moves to= wards real-time processes; adoption of absolute antenna calibrations; an appr= oach to generating a new IGS troposphere product; and positioning the IGS to in= fluence and integrate future GNSS, as has been demonstrated with GLONASS. Of Special Note? ---------------- On behalf of the attendees, I wish to extend sincere thanks to our spon= sors who provided additional resources for a memorable event, by staffing their = exhibits, sponsoring coffee breaks, supporting the ice breaker, appetizers and ot= her 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 wa= s enjoyed by all participants. The food was excellent and the magic show by Sider= ato (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 -------------------------- 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/J= PL were both re-elected as AC representatives last December. Jim Ray of NOAA/= NGS resigned his position as analysis representative effective at the end o= f 2003 and at the March GB meeting, the Board appointed Peng Fang of Scripps Institution of Oceanography to fill the vacated position. Prof. Geoff B= lewitt, University of Nevada at Reno, was welcomed in 2003 as the IAG represent= ative 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 Korea= n Astronomic Observatory based on a proposal to the Board that was approv= ed last year. The IAG had recently gone through a significant restructuring placing s= ervices at the same level as the commissions. IGS fully supports this new orga= nization. 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 th= e IGS, Prof. Chris Reigber. This project is GGOS ? Global Geodetic Observing = System. The IAG and GGOS are focusing on greatly improving the visibility of th= e geodetic systems as a fundamental requirement for the Global Earth Obse= rving 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 j= oin the IGS GB as the BIPM-CCTF representative to the IGS, and Senior will reci= procate 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/network/netindex.html. She has also coordinat= ed the refocussing of IGSMail for major announcements relevant to the entire I= GS community, including product and data center announcements, new or disc= ontinued 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 no= tices into a separate mail list. These were split into a mail list called IG= SStation as of April 2004. The IGS GB has contributed to the UN Action Team on GNSS since 2002. IG= S 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 t= hrough the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs (A/AC.105/C.1/L.274) or from the I= GS Central Bureau, with a key recommendation (supported by the IGS GB) tha= t an International Coordinating Committee on GNSS be established, bringing s= ystem providers and international user organizations together to facilitate communications and coordination. Another key recommendation of the repo= rt strongly endorses the establishment of AFREF ? a continental reference = systems for Africa - long supported by the IGS and IAG, but to date moving slow= ly due to severe lack of resources and the difficulties faced by developing natio= ns. (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 re= vised ToR should be complete by the end of 2004. The Board continues to strive t= o implement the Strategic Plan, and will meet over the next year to revie= w the plan and revise it accordingly. The Plan is available at the IGS Websit= e 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 Boar= d. To quote Geoff Blewitt, "The success of the IGS is indicated by what it en= ables." The IGS could not do this without the efforts of each of you ? many tha= nks 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 ------------------------------------------------------- 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 ------------------- =B7 John Dow/ESA/European Space Operations Centre, Germany/ Board Ch= air, Network Representative =B7 Yoaz Bar-Sever/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA/Troposphere Workin= g Group, Chair =B7 Norman Beck/Natural Resources Canada/Network Representative =B7 Gerhard Beutler/University of Bern, Switzerland/IAG Representati= ve =B7 Geoff Blewitt/University of Nevada ? Reno, USA/IAG Representativ= e =B7 Henno Boomkamp/ESA/European Space Operations Center, Germany/LEO= Working Group, Chair =B7 Claude Boucher/Institut Geographique National, France/IERS Repre= sentative to IGS =B7 tbd/tbd/IGS Representative to the IERS =B7 Mark Caissy/Natural Resources Canada/Real-time Working Group, Ch= air =B7 Loic Daniel/Institut Geographique National, France/Data Center Representative =B7 Peng Fang/Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA/Analysis Repr= esentative =B7 Manuel Hernandez/Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain/Ion= osphere Working Group, Chair =B7 Remi Ferland/Natural Resources Canada/IGS Reference Frame Coordi= nator =B7 Gerd Gendt/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/Analysis Center= Coordinator =B7 Carey Noll/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA/Data Center Working = Group, Chair =B7 Ruth Neilan/IGS Central Bureau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Direct= or of IGS Central Bureau =B7 David Pugh/Southampton Oceanography Centre, UK/President FAGS, Representative =B7 Christoph Reigber/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/Appointe= d (IGS) =B7 Chris Rizos/University of New South Wales, Australia/Appointed (= IGS) =B7 Markus Rothacher/Technical University of Munich, Germany/Analysi= s Representative =B7 Tilo Schoene/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/TIGA Pilot Pr= oject, Chair =B7 Ken Senior/Naval Research Laboratory, USA/IGS Clock Products Coo= rdinator =B7 Robert Serafin/National Center for Atmospheric Research, USA/App= ointed (IGS) =B7 Jim Slater/National Imagery and Mapping Agency, USA/GLONASS Pilo= t Project, Chair =B7 Robert Weber/Technical University of Vienna, Austria/GNSS Workin= g Group, Chair =B7 Peizhen Zhang/China Seismological Bureau, Institute of Geology/A= ppointed (IGS) =B7 Jim Zumberge/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA/Analysis Representat= ive =B7 Angelyn Moore/IGS Central Bureau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Boar= d Secretariat, Network Coordinator =