UNAVCO Community and Facility Support: Geodesy Advancing Earth Science Research

通过这项合作协议提供的资金将在五年内支持联阿援助团全球定位系统和大地测量技术支助设施的持续管理和运作。UNAVCO设施由UNAVCO，Inc.(下称UNAVCO)管理，这是一个非营利性公司，由UNAVCO成员选举产生的董事会管理，主要由在大地测量方面拥有活跃研究计划的美国学术机构组成。目前有100多个成员机构。联阿援助团的任务是推进测量地壳形变的高精度技术。该设施由NSF地球科学司、极地方案办公室和NASA(通过年度机构调动)提供支助，其职责包括：1)维护NSF支持的科学家可使用的最先进的GPS设备池；2)为NSF和NASA资助的GPS和大地测量技术项目提供专门人员；3)维护NASA全球GPS网络(GGN)，该网络向国际地球自转和参考系统服务(IERS)提供国际地球参考框架(ITRF)解决方案所需的关键数据；4)开发和维护GPS数据档案；5)规划和协调各种大地测量社区活动(如科学研讨会、指导委员会会议)；6)开发和评估新的商业全球定位系统技术；7)确保代表美国学术研究界使用精密大地测量技术建立一个具有代表性和响应的治理进程；8)向学生和公众提供有关精密大地测量研究应用、地球科学和联合国志愿人员组织的教育和宣传。Funding为超过25名全职科学家、工程师和相关业务支持人员提供工资支持。全球定位系统在空间和时间上的密集观测导致了地球科学的根本性新发现，这些发现对我们理解地球系统以及地球内部动力学、构造、岩浆、地震和地表过程以及全球气候系统之间的复杂相互作用产生了重大影响。对地球表面的观测具有内在的社会相关性。联安办事处机制通过促进在认识和应对地震、火山和沿海边缘灾害以及气候动态对地球冰冻圈和水圈的影响方面取得进展，为科学和公共政策事业作出了重要贡献。设施给科学界和社会带来的好处超出了美国的国界。该基金支持国际大地测量研究和向发展中国家转让技术。联阿援助团的设施支助开始在地球科学之外产生影响，包括支助实时动态全球定位系统研究，以确定桥梁等主要灵活土木工程结构的动力学特征。设施教育和推广计划促进了技术培训，提高了学生参与地球科学的多样性，从而增强了美国在全球技术经济中的竞争力。***

0735156MeertensFunding 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. ***