*************************************************************************** IERS Message No. 19 December 20, 2001 *************************************************************************** IERS Analysis Campaign to align EOPs to ITRF2000 / ICRF Call for Participation Objective: The intention is to create EOP series with highest possible consistency with ITRF2000 / ICRF and to achieve an overall accuracy of 0.1 mas. This will lead to an intermediate solution until a rigorous combination of EOP, ITRF and ICRF is possible. Therefore, we have to analyse and understand the origin of systematic errors due to the reference frame realization. This campaign will be organized in two major steps: 1. Generation of EOP series that are aligned to ITRF2000 / ICRF by the Analysis Center of the individual techniques (Technique Centers) or other interested groups. 2. Analysis of the aligned series by the Combination Research Centers or other interested groups. Generation of EOP series (step 1): In the first step of this campaign, the Technique Centers or other interested groups are asked to produce EOP series using the ITRF2000 / ICRF as reference frame. Solutions with different constraints on ITRF2000 (ICRF) should be generated as follows: - heavily constrained coordinates + velocities - constraining with formal uncertainties - minimal constraints (NNR, ...) - selected set of sites / quasars for constraints The submitted series will be archived and made available to all participating groups for the second step, the analysis. Analysis of EOP series (step 2): The analysis should consist of: - comparisons with official IERS / EOP series - study consistency of the series and make improvements if necessary - recommendations for future realizations of reference frames The first results may be presented at the EGS General Assembly in Nice, France in April 2002. If you are interested in producing and / or analysing such EOP series or contribute to this campaign in another way, please download the call for participation form from http://www.iers.org/iers/about/ac/campaign.pdf or send a request for the form to central_bureau@iers.org . Please submit your proposal by January 18, 2002. Markus Rothacher IERS Analysis Coordinator Munich, December 20, 2001 *************************************************************************** IERS Messages are edited and distributed by the IERS Central Bureau. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please write to . Archives: http://www.iers.org/iers/publications/messages/ ***************************************************************************