NGS Report

NOAA’s

National Geodetic Survey (NGS)

Report to

National States Geographic Information CouncilOctober 2009, Cleveland, OH

John Ellingson, State Geodetic Advisor

NGS MISSION

To define, maintain and provide access to the National Spatial Reference System to meet our nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs.

National Spatial Reference System

“NSRS”• 1,558,321 survey marks (stations) in the NGS

database on 9/22/09- includes CORS stations

• Foundation of all surveying, mapping, charting and positioning activities in the United States and Territories

NAD83 (NSRS2007) adjustment

• Properly aligns states• Tied to National CORS network• ~68,000 stations used – • ~284,000 GPS vectors used

****Final report released in April 2009****NOAA Technical Report NOS NGS 60 NAD83 (NSRS2007)

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/NSRS2007/ FinalReports.shtml

New GEOID09 model released 9/22/09

GEOID: The equipotential surface of the Earth’s gravity field which best fits global mean sea level.

• Last NGS model for CONUS was published in 2003, (2006 for Alaska)

• Better model because of (NSRS2007) readjustment

• Better model because of additional data points.

Control Used to Develop GEOID09

National Geodetic Survey’s - CORS

Continuously Operating Reference Stations• Network of GNSS receivers – only accepted by NGS after

passing very detailed review• Coordinates of all CORS are computed daily by NGS and

made available to the public by easily available charts, spreadsheets and data files.

• Archived data is available from NGS website back to 1994

NGS CORS Network• ~1,300 stations in network – March 2009• Currently adding approximately 200 per year.• More than 200 organizations participate in CORS

program.

CORS Partners

NOAA / Geodesy & Meteorology

7%

NSF & Universities / Crustal Motion

13%

Local Governments9%

FAA, NASA & other Fed'l Gov

5%

Foreign2%

Commercial12%Academic

3%

State Governments34%

USCG / Surface Navigation

15%

Obtain CORS Observation Files From NGS

Online Positioning Users Service

“OPUS”You submit your GPS observations to NGS and OPUS computes the positions for you.

Several “flavors” of OPUS:

• OPUS (the original)-• OPUS-RS-• OPUS DB-• OPUS Projects-

Opus Submittal Page – NGS Website

Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum = GRAV-D

• 10 year program to develop a more accurately defined Geoid for North America

• New GRAV-D datum will replace NAVD88• Orthometric Heights (“elevations” on maps) good

to 2 cm (or better) using GNSS technology

• Gravity for the Nation benefits: Imagery for the Nation Lidar for the Nation Elevation for the Nation

GRAV-D Details

Typical flying heightis 35,000 feet.

Some missions flown aslow as 5,000 feet (rare)

10km x 40km blocks

Est. total cost <$40 million, spread over 10 yrs

WisconsinHeight Modernization

Horiz. & Vert. Control

• Started 10 years ago-before GRAV-D program

• $18 million to reach this point

• Available right now….no waiting 8 years for the GRAV-D results

What are NGS Products Worth to Society?January 2009 Socio-economic Scoping Study

$758 million- annual value of CORS network & OPUS

$282 million- estimated annual value of GRAV-D, if available today.

$2.4 billion- annual value of National Spatial Reference System (NSRS)

NGS 10 Year Plan-

Big Changes Ahead?

Visit the NGS website and view the current plan.

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/INFO/tenyearfinal.shtml

NGS- State Advisor Program

Questions or Comments

www.ngs.noaa.gov

John EllingsonJohn.ellingson@noaa.gov

608-516-1382