The keynote of the 7^th IVS General Meeting is the evolution of a new VLBI network based on VLBI2010 technology under the theme "Launching the Next-Generation IVS Network". A number of VLBI2010 projects are under way; several antennas have been erected and construction of about ten antennas is at various stages of completion. Further projects are in the proposal or planning stage. The next-generation IVS network is growing organically, with an operational core of stations becoming available within the next few years, plus further growth continuing into the foreseeable future.

• Session 1: The Next-Generation IVS Network and VLBI2010 Technology Developments
  (Conveners: Hayo Hase and Bill Petrachenko)
  Description: The unprecedented expectations for the next-generation VLBI system of 1-mm positional accuracy, station velocities of 0.1 mm/yr, continuous observational time series for station positions and Earth orientation parameters, and fast turnaround time from observation to geodetic results will foster new science and applications. Launching the next-generation IVS network is now a major priority of the IVS and the theme of this meeting. This session will concentrate on the evolution of both the next-generation IVS network and developments in VLBI2010 technology. The network aspect of the session may include, for example, reports on new sites, the S/X to VLBI2010 transition plan, new schedule generation algorithms, and simulations of expected performance. The technology development may encompass topics such as digital backends, recording systems, e-VLBI, software correlation, RFI excision techniques, and automation of operations, among others.

• Session 2: Correlators, Stations and Operations Centers
  (Conveners: Ruediger Haas and David Hall)
  Description: This session focuses on the recent activities and future plans at VLBI networks, stations and correlators. Presentations about issues that relate to improving VLBI data quality in general and more particularly with regard to "VLBI2010" are solicited. Also welcome are submissions concerning the GGOS Project's contributions to local surveys to determine the spatial vectors from the radio telescopes to co-located geodetic instruments. Network station status reports should be submitted to this session.

• Session 3: Advances in Software Development, Analysis Strategies and Data Structure
  (Conveners: Sergei Bolotin and Sebastien Lambert)
  Description: IVS data are collected at the IVS Data Centers and analyzed by the IVS Analysis Centers. In this session, we call for contributions related to the IVS Data and Analysis Centers' activities and plans for the future. We solicit contributions from the IVS Data Centers concerning data flow, services for users, reliability and timeliness of data exchange between the primary Data Centers. IVS Analysis Centers are invited to contribute papers related to their current activities, development and comparison of models and software used for the data analysis, and assessment of the errors and accuracy of the VLBI results. We expect VLBI data to increase dramatically-by at least a factor of 10, and maybe a factor of 100-in the near future because of VLBI2010. Because of this, we are especially interested in Data Centers and Analysis plans related to automation of data collection, processing and analysis. Presentations related to the comparison and development of analysis strategies are welcome, as our changes that need to be made because of VLBI2010.

• Session 4: Results in Geodesy, Astrometry and Geophysics and Their Interpretation
  (Conveners: Zinovy Malkin and Thomas Artz)
  Description: The analysis of VLBI observations produces time series, long-term average positions and rates, and values of physical parameters. We seek contributions in topics such as the use of VLBI results in modeling geophysical fluids from the atmosphere to the core, improvement of the precession-nutation model, investigation of the Earth rotation variations at different time scales (from minutes to decades), inner and outer core nutations, refinement of the terrestrial and celestial reference frames, detection and interpretation of the motions of specific sites and radio sources, atmospheric studies (both the troposphere and the ionosphere), relativity tests, and other scientific uses of geodetic and astrometric VLBI data and their impact on astrophysics and cosmology. Also important topics are the comparison, validation, and combination of VLBI with other space geodetic techniques, and the integration of the techniques within the framework of IAG's Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). Special attention is expected to be given to the assessment of the actual accuracy and systematic errors of the VLBI-derived results, and, in particular, to the errors caused by deficiencies of the models used in data processing.

• Session 5: VLBI Analysis and Results from the Recent Megaquakes in Japan and Chile
  (Conveners: Daniel MacMillan and Ryuichi Ichikawa)
  Description: The 2011 M9.0 Tohoku and the 2010 M8.8 Maule earthquakes hit in close proximity to geodetic VLBI sites. The two events caused extensive damage and devastation in the impacted areas. In both cases VLBI observing was resumed soon after the shocks. The effects of these earthquakes ranged from the obviously large co-seismic displacements to variations in geophysical parameters as far removed as the ionosphere. We seek contributions on how the earthquakes affect VLBI analysis and how they should be handled in analysis (e.g., transient decay model). We are also interested in comparisons between VLBI results and findings from other techniques. Other contributions may consider the implications for the optimal location of a VLBI site.

Please use these session codes when submitting your abstract to the General Meeting.