Regional Clusters and Distributed Processing

Geoffrey Blewitt, Yehuda Bock, & G. Gendt

Published 1993, SCEC Contribution #76

The primary role of the International GPS Service for Geodynamics (IGS) is to support worldwide high-precision surveys using the Global Positioning System (GPS) by providing timely products such as improved satellite ephemerides, earth orientation and terrestrial reference frame information, These products are generated by the IGS based on the analysis of data from an increasing number of worldwide GPS tracking stations and have been used already to support campaign-type GPS surveys of finite duration. In a parallel development continuously operating regional GPS clusters are being established to study crustal deformation at tectonic plate boundaries and to serve as active geodetic networks. These developments present challenges to the IGS. In practical terms, the increasing number of global tracking stations presents a computational and data handling burden on the analysis centers. Distributed processing of these data among these centers will allow the IGS to accommodate an expansion of the global network to the often-stated goal of about 200 stations. In programmatic terms, the IGS should consider playing a role in integrating the regional clusters within the framework provided by the global network, a task particularly important for geodynamics. In this position paper we outline and endorse a hierarchy and methodology for distributed processing and the integration of regional clusters. We present several scenarios and examples.

Citation
Blewitt, G., Bock, Y., & Gendt, G. (1993). Regional Clusters and Distributed Processing. Presentation at International Association of Geodesy: IGS Analysis Center Workshop.