UNAVCO Community and Facility Support: Geodesy Advancing Earth Science Research

Unavco, Inc., Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

0735156 Meertens Funding through this Cooperative Agreement will support the continued management and operation of the UNAVCO Global Positioning System (GPS) and geodetic technology support facility over a five year period. The UNAVCO Facility is managed by UNAVCO, Inc. (hereafter referred to as UNAVCO), a non-profit corporation governed by a Board of Directors elected by the UNAVCO membership comprised predominantly of U.S. academic institutions with active research programs in geodesy. There are currently over 100 member institutions. The UNAVCO mission is to advance high precision techniques for the measurement of crustal deformation. The Facility is supported by NSF Division of Earth Sciences, Office of Polar Programs and NASA (through annual agency transfers) for responsibilities including: 1) maintenance of a pool of state-of-the-art GPS equipment available to NSF-supported scientists; 2) provision of personnel dedicated to NSF and NASA funded GPS and geodetic technologies project planning, logistics and field engineering support; 3) maintenance of the NASA Global GPS Network (GGN) that provides crucial data to the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) needed for International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) solutions; 4) development and maintenance of a GPS data archive; 5) planning and coordination of various geodetic community activities (e.g., scientific workshops, steering committee meetings); 6) development and evaluation of new commercial GPS technology; 7) ensuring a representative and responsive governance process on behalf of the U.S. academic research community using precision geodetic techniques; and 8) provision of education and outreach to students and the public about precision geodetic research applications, the Earth sciences, and UNAVCO. Funding provides salary support for a staff of over 25 full time scientists, engineers and associated business support staff. Dense GPS observations in space and time have resulted in fundamental new discoveries in the Earth sciences that have had a significant impact on our understanding of the Earth system and the complex interplays between the Earth's interior dynamics, tectonic, magmatic, seismic and surface processes, and the global climate system. Observations of the surface Earth are inherently societally relevant. The UNAVCO Facility makes key contributions to the science and public policy enterprise through facilitating advances in understanding and responding to seismic, volcanic and coastal margin hazards and the effects of climate dynamics on the Earth's cryosphere and hydrosphere. Facility benefits to the science community and society extend beyond U.S. borders. The Facility supports international research in geodesy and technology transfer to developing countries. UNAVCO Facility support is beginning to make an impact outside of the Earth sciences, including support for real-time kinematic GPS studies to characterize the dynamics of major flexible civil engineering structures such as bridges. Facility education and outreach programs stimulate technological training and increased diversity in student participation in the geosciences that enhance U.S. competitiveness in the global technology economy. ***