GPS net­work operations for the International GPS Geodynamics Service

As GPS technology comes of age in the 1990’s, it is evident that an internationally sponsored GPS tracking system is called for to provide consistent, timely ground tracking data and data products to the geophysical community. The planning group for the International GPS Geodynamics Service (IGS), sponsored by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), is addressing all elements of the end-to-end tracking system, ranging from data collection to data analysis and distribution of products (Mueller, 1992). Part of the planning process is to formulate how these various elements work together to create the common infrastructure needed to support a wide variety of GPS investigations. A key element for any permanent satellite tracking system is certainly the acquisition segment; the reliability and robustness of the ground network operations directly determine the fates and limitations of final products. The IGS planning group therefore included a committee tasked to develop and establish standards governing data acquisition and site-specific characteristics deemed necessary to ensure the collection of a high quality, continuous data set. An abbreviated version of these standards is included as art appendix to this paper.