Description
This volume is the result of the dedicated effort undertaken by an international group of scientists and administrators, who have contemplated the challenge of the future of space-based earth science for the next decade. Recognizing the need for defining new milestones both in science and technology, they have developed a detailed report of what could be achieved and what challenges remain after twenty fertile years of space exploration. The reader will find a wealth of information about the role of space geodesy in the Earth Sciences of the 1990’s. 1 introduction.- Precession and nutation.- Polar motion.- Axial rate of spin of the earth.- Earth tides.- Time variations in the gravity field.- Conclusions and recommendations.- 3 long term dynamics of the solid earth.- 4 interaction with other disciplines and programs.- 5 instrumentation.- 6 data analysis.- 7 Reference coordinate systems.- 8 education.- Appendix 1 The earth observation activities of the European space agency.- Appendix 2 The role of NASA in geodynamics research in the decade 1991 – 2000.- Appendix 3 The glonass satellite navigation system.- Appendix 4 Space geodesy in France.- Appendix 5 The LAGEOS II project.- Appendix 6 The Wegener programme.
