[G01-6] Regional reference frames and networks II

[G01-6-01] Foundation CORS: Underpinning a New Positioning Framework

^○Daniel Roman, Kevin Choi (U.S. National Geodetic Survey, Silver Spring, USA)

The Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) Network at the U.S. National Geodetic Survey (NGS) has provided improved coordinate determination to the National Spatial Reference System for 20 years. The CORS will become an integral part of the definition, realization and access starting 2022 when the NGS puts in place a new reference frame. The CORS Network consists of nearly 2,000 stations that are primarily owned and operated by other agencies and groups that provide their data to NGS for evaluation, archiving and use in position determination software such as the Online Positioning User Service (OPUS). The intent of the 2022 datum is that it be closely aligned with the most recent realization of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame in order provide consistency in the realization of positions in either the new US reference frame or in the ITRF. Pursuant to that, the NGS will be focusing on ownership or at least increased oversight of a sufficient number of stations to ensure that the ITRF is adequately tied to the new national datum. Priority is given to collocating with other techniques (e.g., VLBI) to enhance the linkage between the IGS solution and those of the other techniques when developing a future ITRF. Additional consideration will be to have a sufficient spatial coverage to ensure a sufficient spatial distribution to satisfy the national integrity of the NSRS. The intent is that these sites serve as the link to the ITRF and then serve to underpin any national reprocessing and stacking of regular CORS sites. In turn, derived positions from the CORS will lead to improved access to the NSRS for all geodetic applications.