pdf-version ppt-version Leave 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Previous Next ppt of this slide
Back up ...

It is important to mention that the acronym GGOS has two very distinct meaning:

  1. The "organization GGOS" consisting of components such as committees, panels, working groups, etc., which provides an umbrella for all observational activities in IAG and links these to major user groups inside and outside of IAG;
  2. The "observation system GGOS" comprising the infrastructure of many different instrument types, satellite missions, and data and analysis centers. While GGOS as an organization has established its structure from essentially new entities and will, over the next years, add new entities where needed, the observational infrastructure for GGOS as the system is being largely provided by the IAG Services.The physical observing system with global geodetic infrastructure, analysis and data centers and services that provide access to products;

While the components of the GGOS organization are fully under the control of the IAG, the same is not true for all the components contributing to GGOS the observing system. Many parts of the infrastructure are provided by other organizations not even loosely affiliated with IAG. For example, the GPS system, which is crucial for the IGS, is operated and maintained by the U.S. Department of Defence. Many of the relevant satellite missions including satellite altimetry, gravity, and InSAR missions are under the control of space agencies, while GGOS only can utilize the observations.

In the following, we will look at these two facets of GGOS. Before we do so, will have a brief look at the chronology of GGOS.