****************************************************************************** dorismail 02-Dec-2005 15:28:12 Message No 0428 ****************************************************************************** Author: Zuheir Altamimi Subject: Reference System session at EGU2006 Author: Zuheir Altamimi & Jim Ray EGU General Assembly -- Vienna, Austria, 02 - 07 April 2006 http://www.copernicus.org/egu2006/ Dear Colleagues, The 3rd General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union will be held in Vienna, Austria, 02-07 April 2006. We draw your attention in particular to session "G1 - Accuracy and stability of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame". Among other things, this session should provide a good opportunity to review results, weaknesses, limitations, systematic errors, etc. of both the ITRF2004 realization and its contributed techniques. The development of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) has progressed steadily as the space geodetic observing techniques have matured and as the methods for forming multi-technique combinations have become more rigorous. The expectations placed on the ITRF have kept pace with, or even exceeded, the technical developments, with demands for continuing improvements in accuracy and stability in order to detect ever more subtle features of the Earth system. Detection of non-linear variations is particularly and increasingly important, and comparisons with non-geometric measurements (e.g., GRACE gravity changes) more revealing. Meanwhile, recent experiences with ITRF2004 and related efforts have exposed weaknesses in the global framework or raised questions about the true accuracy of the space geodetic data. Systematic errors of various types are particularly difficult to evaluate without a standard more reliable than ITRF itself or its contributing techniques. This session will focus on updated evaluations of the accuracy and stability of ITRF as well as the space geodetic methods that contribute to it. Studies of important systematic technique errors and methods to mitigate them are strongly encouraged. Proposals for future improvements, new approaches, or novel measurement types are especially sought. Important Dates: 23 December 2006: Deadline for support applications 13 January 2006: Deadline for receipt of abstracts 10 March 2006: Deadline for pre-registration & hotel booking Please consider submitting a paper to this symposium or contact us directly if you have any questions. Sincerely, Zuheir Altamimi, altamimi@ensg.ign.fr ENSG/LAREG, Institut Geographique National Jim Ray, jimr@ngs.noaa.gov Geosciences Research Division, National Geodetic Survey -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Zuheir Altamimi Email : altamimi@ensg.ign.fr Institut Geographique National Phone : 33 1 64 15 32 55 ENSG/LAREG FAX : 33 1 64 15 32 53 6-8 Avenue Blaise Pascal 77455 Champs-sur-Marne, FRANCE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Please do not reply directly to this message, but send comments and suggestions to IDS.central.bureau@cls.fr