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Note on Geodetic Fundamental Stations

A geodetic observatory in which all relevant space geodetic observation methods are operated is called a fundamental station if it complies with the following characteristics:

  1. Permanency of the operation by consideration of the time scales of geodynamic phenomena and therefore long-term assured production of geodetic data,
  2. Complementaryness of the operated geodetic space techniques for the best possible coverage of the System Earth affecting phenomena as to obtain the best possible realization of a precise global reference system,
  3. Redundancy within the selected instruments for quality assurance of the observational data by independently obtained results of the same observables,
  4. Linking of the technique specific reference points by their corresponding space vectors, usually determined by a local survey within a local geodetic network, which is also used for the monitoring of the local site stability.
A fundamental station for geodesy enables the link and the transformation from one technique specific reference frame (e.g. VLBI) to another (e.g. GNSS) by coordinate transformation. Fundamental stations are constitutive for the realization of the ITRF which is based on observational data produced by VLBI, SLR, GNSS and DORIS.


(Extracted from Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics).