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The International GPS Service for Geodynamics (IGS): The Story

  • Conference paper

Part of the book series: International Association of Geodesy Symposia ((IAG SYMPOSIA,volume 115))

Abstract

The primary goal of the International GPS Service for Geodynamics (IGS) is to provide highly accurate orbits, earth rotation parameters, and station coordinates derived from observations of the Global Positioning System (GPS) to the geodynamics community, which currently demand the highest accuracy. A further goal is the extension of the IERS Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) for the purpose of global accessibility. The data of the permanent IGS network consisting of about 80 stations are transmitted on a daily basis to regional and global data centers from where they are retrieved by the IGS Analysis Centers.

Today the IGS produces a combined orbit based on the contributions of seven Analysis Centers in addition to the orbit- and earth rotation- series of the individual IGS Analysis Centers. The IGS orbit is available about two weeks after the observations, its accuracy is of the order of 10 cm. The IGS orbits together with the IGS station coordinates and the GPS measurements in the IGS network give the user community a direct access to the ITRF.

The paper gives an overview of the development of the IGS through 1995. The present structure is discussed, the accuracy and the reliability of the products will be mentioned, current developments and future plans will be presented.

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© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Beutler, G., Mueller, I.I., Neilan, R.E. (1996). The International GPS Service for Geodynamics (IGS): The Story. In: Beutler, G., Melbourne, W.G., Hein, G.W., Seeber, G. (eds) GPS Trends in Precise Terrestrial, Airborne, and Spaceborne Applications. International Association of Geodesy Symposia, vol 115. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80133-4_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80133-4_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-60872-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-80133-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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