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SCAR Bulletin No 134, July 1999

Working Group on Geodesy and Geographic Information

1. Concepción Meeting

Representatives and observers from fourteen SCAR countries and observers from three non/inter-government organisations attended the meeting, 20-24 July 1998.

The WG-GGI continues to focus on providing the fundamental geodetic and geographic information needed to support Antarctic science, environmental monitoring and operations. The key activities during the meeting were:

reports on activities for the preceding two years by programme convenors;
development of the WG-GGI programme structure and projects for 1998-2000;
presentation of the first edition of the SCAR Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica (CGA);
release of Version 2.0 of the Antarctic Digital Database (ADD);
identification of a new cooperative project: King George Island GIS (KGIS).

National reports were tabled from countries active in Antarctic geodesy, mapping and GIS. Presentations and briefings were given on a range of SCAR and other projects and programmes.

At the Antarctic Geodesy Symposium, held at the University of Chile in Santiago prior to the Concepción meeting, twenty papers were presented, addressing current research in Antarctic geodesy and promoting interaction between SCAR and non-SCAR geoscientists.

A joint meeting was held with the Geology and Solid-Earth Geophysics Working Groups, and a proposal for a new Group of Specialists on Antarctic neotectonics (ANTEC) was developed..

2. Report on 1996-98 Outcomes

Geodetic Infrastructure for Antarctica (GIANT) (Australia):

Permanent Observatories: the permanent network now comprises 13 GPS sites, 3 DORIS sites, 2 PRARE sites, 2 VLBI sites, 16 tide gauges and 8 absolute gravity stations. Four GPS sites are contributing data daily to the International GPS Service (IGS).
Epoch Campaigns: processing and analysis of the SCAR96 campaign has been finalised. The SCAR98 campaign was very successful, with 18 countries participating.
Antarctic Geoid: no significant progress was made. The lack of a reliable geoid is a major issue for the GIANT Program.
Geodynamics: velocity vectors continue to be derived from the permanent and epoch sites.

Standards and Directories (USA)

Map and Data Standards: draft model for the definition of Antarctic topographic map and data standards was produced.
Metadata Standards: draft metadata standards for maps, digital data, geodetic data, tide gauges, aerial photographs and satellite imagery was produced.
Geographic Data Directory: no significant progress was made in this project.
SPA Management Plans: draft guidelines for the preparation of SPA Management Plans were prepared and provided to GOSEAC. These have been adopted by the ATCM.

Geographic Data (UK and Germany)

SCAR Composite Gazetteer: the Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica (CGA) was published in two volumes in March 1998. An online version is available at www.pnra.it/SCAR_GAZE. The CGA contains names from twenty SCAR countries and GEBCO, and comprises 33,000 entries for 16,500 features.
Digital Topographic Database: Version 2.0 of the Antarctic Digital Database (ADD) was released online at www.nerc-bas.ac.uk/public/magic/add_home.html, correcting errors in Version 1.0 and providing significant updates, in a more accessible format.
Digital Elevation Model: no significant progress was made on this project.
Ground Control Point Library: no significant progress was made on this project.
Geographic Data Integration: draft technical specifications were prepared, and major projects in surface elevation, bedrock elevation, bathymetry and coastline were reviewed.

Meetings

Programme Coordinators meeting, Reston, August 1997
Special Antarctic Session, IAG Scientific Assembly, Rio de Janeiro, September 1997
Place Names Workshop, Cambridge, October 1997
Antarctic Geodesy Symposium (AGS98), Santiago, July 1998

3. Liaison

The Working Group's programmes and products have significant global and interdisciplinary applications. Liaison with external bodies is therefore essential to ensure that activities are appropriately integrated and focused on scientific and operational needs.

Reports on the followingwere presented: SCAR, COMNAP, IHO, IAG, GLOCHANT, GOSEAC, JCADM, GEBCO, radar mapping, bedrock mapping, coastline mapping, World Atlas of Snow and Ice Resource, Global Mapping and development of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure.

The WG-GGI gave a presentation to the COMNAP symposium, outlining the place names, mapping data and GPS base station developments. Arrangements to strengthen liaison with COMNAP, discussed with the COMNAP President and Executive Secretary, will be developed.

4. Plans For 1998 - 2000 Programme

The Working Group adopted a simplified and more focused programme structure for 1998-2000, with two major programmes as follows:

Geodesy (Geodetic Infrastructure for Antarctica - GIANT) Program

Objective:

to provide a common geographic reference system for all Antarctic science and operations;
to contribute to global geodetic science (physical earth processes and precise terrestrial reference frame);
to provide Antarctic horizontal and vertical motion data.

Projects

Permanent Observatories: (Australia, John Manning) Goal: develop and maintain a network of permanent geodetic observatories, for use in Antarctic and global geodetic and other geoscience applications.

Key Activities: expand the number of multi-technique observatories, and enhance the contribution of Antarctic sites to global geodesy through satellite data retrieval.

Epoch Campaigns: (Germany, Reinhard Dietrich)
Goal: densify the geodetic infrastructure formed from the permanent observatories, to integrate local geodetic networks and provide additional geodynamic sites.
Key Activities: coordinate annual summer campaigns, and contribute the results to global geodetic researchers.
Physical Geodesy: (Italy, Alessandro Capra)
Goal: develop a new high-resolution geoid for Antarctic and global geoscience applications. Key Activities: collaborate in the collection and analysis of key datasets, and prepare for computation of the new model.
GLONASS: (Australia, John Manning)
Goal: evaluate the application of the Russian 'GLONASS' satellite positioning system for Antarctic geodesy and navigation applications. Key Activities: participate in the international GLONASS experiment (IGEX98), and report on the results.
Differential GPS Base Stations: (USA, Larry Hothem) Goal: develop the application of GPS base stations to support real-time air and sea navigation and field data collection. Key Activities: liaise with COMNAP in the identification of sites and the adoption of technical standards, with an initial focus on the Antarctic peninsula.
Remote Geodetic Observatories: (USA, Larry Hothem) Goal: develop a remote GPS base station capability for geoscience applications, and deploy at key remote locations. Key Activities: collaborate with other researchers to develop a base station design for use in Antarctica.
Information Access: (Australia, John Manning)
Goal: disseminate information from the GIANT Program to Antarctic and global geoscientists.
Key Activities: publish papers in the scientific literature, further develop the GIANT Program web site, and contribute metadata to the Antarctic Master Directory.

Geographic Information Programme

Objective:

to integrate and coordinate Antarctic mapping and GIS programs;
to make fundamental reference data available to the Antarctic and global user communities.

Projects

Standards: (UK, Janet Thomson) Goal: provide map and data standards for use by all SCAR members Key Activities: publish 'SCAR Map and Data Standards', and liaise with JCADM to develop guidelines for geodetic and geographic information metadata.
Place Names: (Italy, Roberto Cervallati / Chiara Ramorino; Germany, Jörn Sievers) Goal: provide an authoritative database of all Antarctic place names approved by recognised bodies, for reference by national Antarctic naming authorities, scientists and operators. Key Activities: expand the CGA to include dates of approval and descriptions, maintain the CGA web site with monthly updates, and develop standard definitions of Antarctic regions
Goal: provide a SCAR standard small-scale topographic GIS database for use by scientists and operators, and contribute Antarctic data to global mapping programs. Key Activities: complete the updating of the ADD and publish Version 3.0 on the web, and contribute Antarctic data to the (Japanese) Global Mapping initiative.
King George Island GIS: (Poland, Jan Cisak)
Goal: produce a SCAR standard large-scale GIS database for use by scientists and operators, and provide a model for the coordination and integration of mapping programs over areas of intense international activity.
Key Activities: identify and index current survey and mapping data over King George Island, and prepare a proposal for development of KGIS.
Geographic Data Integration: (Australia, Drew Clarke /Glenn Johnstone) Goal: facilitate availability of integrated fundamental datasets over the Antarctic, through liaison with other programs and international agencies, for use by global change researchers and other scientists. Key Activities: finalise data and product specifications in consultation with users and standards bodies, and promote the specifications to key agencies and programs.
Map and Chart Catalogue (USA, Jerry Mullins)
Goal: maintain a public-access catalogue of all Antarctic topographic and bathymetric maps, and nautical and aeronautical charts. Key Activities: revise the metadata model, validate existing catalogue data, establish an online system and publish a hardcopy edition for SCAR XXVI.

5. Conclusion

Coordinators were appointed for the two WG-GGI programs:

Geodesy (GIANT): John Manning (Australia) Geographic Information: Janet Thomson (UK)

Jörn Sievers (Germany)

Drew Clarke (Australia) was re-elected Chairman. The WG-GGI home page (http://www.scar-ggi.org.au) will continue to provide a key means of disseminating information on WG activities, contacts and meetings. More detailed descriptions of the 1998-2000 program plans will also be available at this site. A WG-GGI list-server capability will be developed to further improve communication between members.

The Working Group proposes the following meetings in 1998-2000:

Place names workshop in Rome, March 1999;
GIANT Symposium (AGS99) in Warsaw, 14-16 July 1999;
Program / project coordinators meeting in Frankfurt, 1999;
Working Group meeting at XXVI SCAR in Tokyo, 2000.

Standing Resolutions

The WG-GGI Standing resolutions were reviewed, and three new resolutions were added addressing ground control points, geodetic reference frame, and representation on the Working Group.

That members will apply approved SCAR geodetic and geographic standards, specifications and guidelines in their national Antarctic programmes (noting that the standards, specifications and guidelines in the 1994 Standing Resolutions will continue to apply until superseded).
That members will contribute all relevant information to SCAR directories of Antarctic geodetic and geographic information.
That members will exchange and make freely available geodetic and geographic data, in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty. Two copies of maps, charts and other geographic publications shall be automatically distributed to the Antarctic Mapping Centres of the SCAR countries.
That members will make ground control point information, including photographic identifications, available on the World Wide Web for use in other Antarctic mapping and research applications.
That members adopt the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) as a basic geodetic reference frame in Antarctica, and the GRS80 ellipsoid for the precise computation of geographical coordinates.
That whenever possible, national representation at Working Group meetings should include both geodetic and geographic information specialists.

Recommendations

Geodetic Reference Frame

Noting the widespread use of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) as a global geodetic reference frame, as recommended by the International Association of Geodesy;

Recognising the increasing use of precise positioning in Antarctica for many scientific purposes and the need for a common reference frame for Antarctic and global geographically referenced information;

The Working Group recommends that:

SCAR recommends that National Committees, SCAR Working Groups and Groups of Specialists adopt and support use of:

ITRF as the basic geodetic reference frame in Antarctica;
the GRS80 ellipsoid for computation of precise geographic coordinates in that reference frame.

(Note: GGI Recommendations 1, 2 and 4 were adopted as SCAR Recommendations XXV-7, -8 and -9)

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research

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