************************************************************************ IERS Message No. 98 October 24, 2006 ************************************************************************ IERS WORKSHOP on GLOBAL GEOPHYSICAL FLUIDS THIRD ANNOUNCEMENT The Global Geophysical Fluid Centre (GGFC) has the responsibility of supporting, facilitating, and providing services to the scientific research community, the IAG services and common users, in areas related to the variations in Earth rotation, gravity field, geocentre, and surface deformations that are caused by mass transport in the atmosphere-hydrosphere-solid Earth-core system, or the global geophysical fluids. The main goal of the workshop will be the improvement of the IERS Global Geophysical Fluid Centre (GGFC) products in accuracy, consistency, stability, timeliness, user-friendly access, and documentation, to contribute significantly to the "Global Geodetic Observation System" (GGOS) and the users need. The workshop will be held at Hotel Grand Hyatt, Union Square, San Francisco, California, USA, December 6- 7, 2006. The original concept of a Global Geophysical Fluid Centre within the IERS, in which Special Bureaus - defined by the fluids themselves - was an excellent first step to serving the needs of the geodetic community. Ten years on, the community and their needs have changed as the precision of the geodetic observations has been significantly reduced. The division of the GGFC along the lines of the fluid generating the geodetic effect may no longer be sufficient. For example, given the current GGFC set up, a user interested in precise position determinations has to move between the various GGFC Special Bureaus to obtain earth tide models (SBC/SBM/SBT), ocean-load tide models (SBT), atmospheric load-tide models (IERS Conventions), surface mass loading models (viscoelastic and elastic) (SBL) etc. The GGFC would better serve the community such that the user described above only needed to go to a single entry point to obtain all relevant information. Therefore the time is right, to consider a restructuring of the GGFC. At this workshop we will take an insightful review of where we are and discuss options for potential changes to the structure of the GGFC such that today’s users can easily find the models and data sets that they need. PROGRAMME Wednesday, December 6, 2006 09:00h Welcome and Motivation - van Dam, Richter, Rothacher Introductory presentations by invitation - “What can GGFC get from Gravity missions?” – Frank Flechner - “What do scientists interested in deformation need from the GGFC?” - NN - “What do scientists interested in earth rotation need from the GGFC?” – Richard Gross - “What do scientists interested in time variable gravity need from the GGFC?” - NN - “GGFC and GGOS”-Markus Rothacher Status and Ideas for Changes/Restructuring - Atmospheric Special Bureau - Oceanic Special Bureau - Hydrology Special Bureau - Loading Special Bureau - Gravity Special Bureau - Mantle Special Bureau Adjourn 17:00 h Thursday, December 7, 2006 09:00 h Status and Ideas for Changes/Restructuring (cont.) - Tides Special Bureau - Core Special Bureau Considerations - What should be the mission from the GGFC in terms of support to the different user groups? - How does the GGFC actualise any change? - Standard units and formats of products? - How do we reorganize the web page? - Do we distribute software as well as products? - Do the SB chairs support a restructuring of the GGFC? Final discussion Action Item List, Schedule Adjourn 16:00 h ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you are interested in participation of the workshop please fill the attached registration form, and send it back not later than November 22, 2006 by mail, fax or e-mail to IERS Central Bureau Subject: Workshop December 6 – 7, 2006 Bundesamt fuer Kartographie und Geodaesie Richard Strauss Allee 11 D-60598 Frankfurt / Main Germany Fax: #49-69-6333-425 e-mail: central_bureau@iers.org An on-line registration form will be available at the IERS Workshops Web page at http://www.iers.org/MainDisp.csl?pid=66-32 where you will find additional information on the workshop, too. The information will be available from October 26, 2006. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ IERS WORKSHOP on GLOBAL GEOPHYSICAL FLUIDS Registration form Name: Address: Phone: Fax: E-mail: [ ] I intend to participate in the workshop. [ ] I will not attend, but I am interested in the results of the workshop. ************************************************************************ 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/ ************************************************************************