UNAVCO Community and Facility Support: Geodesy Advancing Earth Science Research

0735156Meertens 通过该合作协议获得的资金将支持 UNAVCO 全球定位系统 (GPS) 和大地测量技术支持设施在五年内的持续管理和运营。 UNAVCO 设施由 UNAVCO, Inc.（以下简称 UNAVCO）管理，UNAVCO, Inc. 是一家非营利性公司，由 UNAVCO 成员选举产生的董事会管理，该成员主要由在大地测量学领域开展活跃研究项目的美国学术机构组成。 目前已有100多家会员机构。 UNAVCO 的使命是推进地壳变形测量的高精度技术。 该设施得到 NSF 地球科学部、极地计划办公室和 NASA（通过年度机构转移）的支持，其职责包括： 1) 维护可供 NSF 支持的科学家使用的最先进的 GPS 设备池； 2) 提供专门从事 NSF 和 NASA 资助的 GPS 和大地测量技术项目规划、后勤和现场工程支持的人员； 3) 维护 NASA 全球 GPS 网络 (GGN)，该网络向国际地球旋转和参考系统服务 (IERS) 提供国际地球参考系 (ITRF) 解决方案所需的关键数据； 4) GPS数据档案的开发和维护； 5) 规划和协调各种大地测量界活动（例如科学研讨会、指导委员会会议）； 6）新型商用GPS技术的开发和评估； 7) 使用精密大地测量技术，确保代表美国学术研究界的具有代表性和响应性的治理流程； 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 UNAVCO 的教育和宣传。 资金为超过 25 名全职科学家、工程师和相关业务支持人员提供薪资支持。 空间和时间上的密集 GPS 观测带来了地球科学的根本性新发现，对我们对地球系统以及地球内部动力学、构造、岩浆、地震和表面过程以及全球气候系统之间复杂相互作用的理解产生了重大影响。 对地球表面的观测本质上与社会相关。 UNAVCO 设施通过促进对地震、火山和沿海边缘灾害以及气候动态对地球冰冻圈和水圈影响的理解和应对的进步，为科学和公共政策事业做出了关键贡献。 设施对科学界和社会的好处超越了美国边界。 该基金支持大地测量学方面的国际研究以及向发展中国家的技术转让。 UNAVCO 设施支持开始在地球科学之外产生影响，包括支持实时运动学 GPS 研究，以表征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刺激技术培训并增加学生参与地球科学的多样性，从而增强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. ***