Geodesy Section News

 

The Geodesy Section of the Canadian Geophysical Union had an important series of activities during the past Canadian Geophysical Union/American Geophysical Union Joint Meeting 2004, held in Montreal, May 17-21, 2004: Meeting of the Executive, Annual General Meeting, Student Paper Competition and the Eighth Geoid Workshop.

 

During the Annual General Meeting, the Executive for 2004-2006 was elected. The executive is:

President:                     Prof. S. Pagiatakis (York University)

Vice President: Dr. C. Klatt (NRCan, Geodetic Survey)

Secretary:                     Prof. M. Santos (University of New Brunswick)

Treasurer:                     Prof. R. Blais (University of Calgary)

Members-at-Large:      Dr. H. Dragert (NRCan, Geological Survey)

                                                Prof. N. Sneeuw (University of Calgary)

 

There were eight student papers competing for the $500 prize awarded by the Geodesy Section sponsored by the Geodetic Survey Division of NRCan. The winner was Mr. Rodrigo Leandro, a PhD student from the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, University of New Brunswick. The competing papers were:

 

  • Mohamed El-Habiby: Linear versus Non-Linear Least Squares Adjustment with emphasis on the 3-D Coordinates Transformation Problem

 

 

  • Robert Kingdon: Calculation of the spherical terrain correction to Helmert’s orthometric height

 

  • Azadeh Koohzare: Glacial Isostatic Adjustment Observed using Historical Tide Gauge Records and Precise Relevelling Data in Eastern Canada

 

  • Mazhar Rafiq: Study of Eastern Canadian coastal site displacement due to ocean tide loading using a GPS network in Atlantic Canada

 

  • Matthias Weigelt: CHAMP Gravity Results using the Energy Integral Approach with Emphasis on Algorithmic Aspects

 

  • Huaining Yang: Atmospheric effects in the three-space scenario for the Stokes-Helmert Method of geoid determination

 

  • Chen Xu: Satellite Formation Flying for Geodetic applications: Analysis of J2-Disturbed Orbits

 

 

The Eight Geoid Workshop was an activity that took place on 16 May 2004, the Sunday before the AGU/CGU Meeting. This year, the Workshop was mostly taken by presentations and discussions related to two GEOIDE/NCE projects, namely “Seamless Vertical Reference System for Geomatics Applications,” and “Precise Geoid Determination.” Several geodesy students from all over Canada participated, giving presentations and contributing to the discussions. There were also discussions on three approved GEOIDE/NCE projects (pending on the extension of the Network): “Mapping the ocean surface with geodetic and oceanographic tools”, “Space gravimetry contributions to Earth monitoring” and “Next-generation algorithms for navigation, geodesy and earth sciences under modernized Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)”. A picture of the participants of the Workshop is shown below.

 

Past and Future Meetings related to Geodesy:

  • Report on the 3rd International VLBI Service General Meeting, Ottawa, 9-11 February, 2004.
  • XV International Symposium on Earth Tides, Ottawa, 2-6 August 2004 (http://www.eas.yorku.ca/ETS-2004/ets.html).

 

Eighth Geoid Workshop
 

 

Photo taken on 16 May, 2004, by Marcelo Santos.