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Geodetic Infrastructure of Antarctica (GIANT) Expert Group

Chair: Sam Griffiths – Australia (sam.griffiths@ga.gov.au)
Co-Chair: Markku Poutanen – Finland (Markku.Poutanen@fgi.fi)

Background

As interest in earth sciences and the effects of change within Antarctica has grown over the years so to has the establishment of earth monitoring observatories. GIANT is an expert group established to oversee the development of Geodetic Infrastructure across the greater Antarctic Continent to help facilitate the monitoring of its physical processes. The group has acted as an advisory committee to help coordinate various infrastructure associated with earth monitoring techniques such as GPS, (GNSS), Seismic & Gravity as well as the installation of Tide Gauges to monitor sea level change.

GIANT Programme Objectives:

  1. Provide a common geospatial reference system for all Antarctic scientists and operator;
  2. Contribute to global geodesy for the study of the physical processes of the earth and the maintenance of the precise terrestrial reference frame;
  3. Provide information for monitoring the horizontal and vertical motion of the Antarctic;
  4. Provide advice to broader research community on the application of geodetic techniques and the reference frame in Antarctic.

A list of the activities within each project of the GIANT Programme for the period 2010 to 2012 is given below; the Project Leader and Project Co-Leader are also identified. Membership is open to all.


1. Permanent Observatories

Project Leader: Sam Griffiths - Australia (sam.griffiths@ga.gov.au)
Project Co-Leader: Kazuo Shibuya – Japan (shibuya@nipr.ac.jp)

  1. Facilitate new geodetic observatories or repeat measurements at existing observatories (GNSS, Gravity, Tide gauge observations);
  2. Compile a list of existing data and collocations;
  3. Encourage site operators to make data freely accessible;
  4. Publish links to IERS WG3 on site surveys;
  5. Publish links to web sites with details of all permanent geodetic sites including POLENET;
  6. Publish links to the web sites for the services for seismic and geomagnetic networks including IRIS (http://www.iris.edu/hq/) and Intermagnet (http://www.intermagnet.org);
  7. Compile lists of absolute gravity observations in Antarctica and encourage observers to contribute data to the IAG IGFS;
  8. Collaborate with other SCAR scientists to indentify requirements for space geodetic sites;
  9. Publicise the Ant2000 datum resolution and make available recommended practices for the use of IGS products with this datum;
  10. Recommend GNSS infrastructure operators to integrate meteorological sensors into site equipment, and publicise other relevant data with GNSS metadata;
  11. Encourage GNSS site operators to incorporate new GNSS constellations and frequencies into equipment specifications when upgrading sites or installing new sites in support of atmospheric studies.


2. Epoch Crustal Movement Campaigns

Project Leader: Reinhard Dietrich – Germany (dietrich@ipg.tu-dresden.de)
Project Co-Leader: Alessandro Capra – Italy (alessandro.capra@unimore.it)

  1. Encourage regional episodic GNSS campaigns for reference frame densification or other targeted science applications;
  2. Coordinate regional campaigns in order to avoid geographical duplication where possible;
  3. Maintain orderly data archives and data access from these campaigns;
  4. Encourage the use of appropriate site standards to allow multimodal use of the data;
  5. Deliver results to IAG commission 1 for ITRF densification;
  6. Provide analysis solutions to POLENET, and other initiatives / applications as requested.


3. Physical Geodesy

Project Leader: Mirko Scheinert – Germany (scheinert@ipg.tu-dresden.de)
Project Co-Leader: Alessandro Capra – Italy (alessandro.capra@unimore.it)

  1. Compile metadata on all kinds of gravimetric surveys and observations in Antarctica;
  2. Utilise gravity data for precise regional geoid determination in Antarctica;
  3. Collaborate with IAG commission 2.4;
  4. Encourage data sharing from gravity surveys in Antarctica for geoid determination including airborne surveys;
  5. Publicise the merit of absolute gravity observations to provide a uniform gravity datum. These observations are best taken at bases, preferably collocated with continuous GNSS sites;
  6. Promote gravity ties of airborne and relative gravity surveys to absolute gravity points;
  7. Validate new global geopotential models from Grace and GOCE for use in Antarctica.


4. Geodetic Control Database

Project Leader: Sam Griffiths – Australia (sam.griffiths@ga.gov.au)
Project Co-Leader: Alexej Matveev - Russia

  1. Provide links to existing geodetic control databases on GIANT web page;
  2. Encourage member countries to maintain Geodetic Control Point Databases and populate then as fully as possible.


5. Tide Gauge Data

Project Leader: Henk Brolsma - Australia (henk.brolsma@aad.gov.au)
Project Co-Leader: Graeme Blick – New Zealand (gblick@linz.govt.nz)

  1. Update the connections between tide gauge benchmarks and GNSS sites on GIANT web page;
  2. Encourage gauge operators to calibrate gauges and make offsets available with tidal observations;
  3. Provide best practice examples of the establishment of tide gauges, both bottom mounted and acoustic, including data communication systems and gauge calibration techniques;
  4. Provide tide gauge data to ocean tide modellers including the IGS TIGA project;
  5. Publicise the application of tide gauge data to key science questions through the GIANT web page.


6. Validation of DEM and Height Change Analysis Based on Field Surveys, and Airborne and Spaceborne Data

Project Leader: Rene Forsberg – Denmark (rf@space.dtu.dk)

  1. Identify and report on new satellite missions that will provide geodetic data or require geodetic support;
  2. Coordinate ground "truthing" campaigns in Antarctica with other known researchers;
  3. Liaison with satellite mission principal investigators;
  4. Facilitate the transfer of satellite mission data to the Antarctic community.


7. High Accuracy Kinematic GNSS Positioning

Project Leader: Matt King – UK (m.king@ncl.ac.uk)
Project Co-Leader: Larry Hothem – USA (ldhothem@gmail.com)

  1. Provide advice to support airborne geophysics and photogrammetric surveys with precise kinematic positioning;
  2. Develop techniques for surface profile surveys;
  3. Evaluate accuracy estimates and perform comparisons of different software and methods;
  4. Where possible install GNSS equipment capable of supporting Kinematic positioning including recording high data rates capable of supporting dynamic applications.


8. GNSS Modernization Program and Civil Signals – Monitoring Interoperability and Compatibility Issues

Project Leader: Larry Hothem – USA (ldhothem@gmail.com)
Project Co-Leader: Bjorn Johns – USA (johns@unavco.org)

  1. Monitor developments in the GNSS industry and communicate them to committee members via web links.

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