The Future of the National
Geodetic Survey
Dr. Dru A. Smith
Chief Geodesist, NGS/NOAA
CSRC, Coordinating Council Spring Meeting
La Jolla, CA
April 28, 2006
Outline
• What does NGS do?
• What are NGS’ Current Priorities?
• Where is NGS going?
NSRS
Mapping
Standards
So much more!
NGS: What we do…
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Maintain/Improve the National Spatial Reference System
Develop geodetic surveying specifications and guidelines
Define the coastline of the United States
Conduct geosciences research
Oversee other federal survey projects (e.g. FAA)
Conduct field surveying in support of our mission
National repository for geodetic data
Develop geodetic tools for public good
Facilitate geodetic networks supporting NSDI
Outreach to government, military, industry, academia and
foreign agencies
National Spatial Reference System
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Datums:
– NAD 83 (f, l, h)
– NAVD 88 (H)
Access tools:
– CORS* + OPUS**
– GEOID03
– Monumented Benchmarks and Control Points
– Orbits
– Surface Gravity Predictor (IGSN 71)
* Continuously Operating Reference Stations
** Online Positioning User Service
NGS: Current Priorities…
Modernization:
• Height Modernization
• CORS Enhancement
• NSRS Re-adjustment
Bread and Butter:
• Specifications, Guidelines and Tools
• Coastal Mapping
• FAA QA/QC
Height Modernization is…
…the establishment of accurate, reliable heights
using GPS technology in conjunction with
traditional leveling, gravity,
and modern remote sensing information.
Height Modernization Today…
• State by State approach
• Monument densification / leveling
• Connecting Orthometric heights, Water Levels and
Ellipsoid Heights (e.g. VDatum)
• Research on local issues (subsidence, floodplain
mapping, etc)
Height Modernization Status
Any body copy on the slide will go in here.
Either bulleted
Or not bulleted
Legend
Spatial Reference Centers
Regional Leaders
Lead Agencies
Height Modernization States
Interested States
Height Modernization of the future…
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A modernized vertical datum, free from systematic errors, accessed
through GPS/CORS and an epoch-tagged gravimetric (not hybrid) geoid
published with heights and height changes.
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The use of Dynamic Heights (not Helmert Heights) to map floodplains
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The ability to transform between height systems and instantaneous water
levels anywhere in the U.S.
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Advocating the use of GPS heights whenever they are sufficient for the
task at hand (e.g. airborne navigation)
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Supporting leveling only as a local tool for disseminating height
differences, not as a tool for re-defining a continent scale vertical datum.
CORS Enhancement today…
• Passive “open arms” policy toward new partners
• OPUS-RS & OPUS-DB
– 15 minute solutions ; Direct input to Database
• Recently updated, more rigorous monumentation and
metadata policy
Disparity in CORS distribution…
California:
Well-served…
Over-served?
Florida:
Well-served
North Dakota:
Poorly-served
CORS Enhancement of the future…
• Focus on primary geodetic mission while allowing
continued growth within NGS resources
– NGS budgeting for densification as needed
– Stricter guidelines on new sites
– More responsibility for metadata and data quality
on site operators
• Real-time data streaming
• Modernized receivers: L2C/L5/Galileo/GLONASS
• Support for single-frequency and single-system users
• Increased accuracy and reliability/Reduced field time
Ongoing research to support NGS in the future…
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New GNSS processing software
– Ohio State MPGPS -> OPUS-RS
– Complete replacement of PAGES (and ARC?)
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“First principles” geoid modeling
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Collaborations:
– NOAA’s Coast Survey: VDatum
– NOAA’s Space Environment Center: USTEC
– Potentially: ACoE/FEMA for coastal floodmap updating
Some big changes from NGS in the near future…
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A complete update to the existing gravity data holdings, including
country wide airborne and absolute gravity surveys (with emphasis on
coastal regions)
Some big changes from NGS in the near future…
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A complete update to the existing gravity data holdings, including
country wide airborne and absolute gravity surveys (with emphasis on
coastal regions)
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Selected CORS stations streaming data in real time
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A completed re-adjustment of NAD 83 by 2007
– Likely the last such large-scale adjustment of passive marks
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An expanded, updated outreach focus
– New booth, new flyers, video and audio training/workshops
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More interaction with academia:
– Sponsored graduate student research
– Visiting Scientists
– Long term training of NGS employees
The NGS 10 year Plan
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Setting goals for 2017
– Year-by-year steps to achieve these goals
PRIORITIZING
– Do more with less? NO
– Do critical work better with less? YES
Focus on efficient implementation of geodetic tasks
– Willingness to change from “the old way” of doing business
if inefficient
– Acceptance of GNSS as the tool of surveying and mapping
for the immediate future
– “One NOAA”, but also “geodesy first” within NGS
Publication target: Late Fall 2006
Summary: The more things change…
• NGS transforms into a modernized, service-oriented
federal agency.
• NGS broadens their customer base (as resources
allow), while continuing to perform mandated
geodetic tasks.
• NGS embraces the concept of a dynamic world,
defining and maintaining the National Spatial
Reference System in 4 dimensions and providing or
empowering access to that system in real-time.
…the more they stay the same.
• NGS continues to provide useful specifications,
guidelines and tools in a changing environment.
• NGS continues to define the coastline of the United
States.
• NGS continues to support geodetic surveying
through quality control and outreach.
Questions/Comments?
• Dr. Dru Smith
• Chief Geodesist, National Geodetic Survey
• Dru.Smith@noaa.gov
• 301-713-3222 x 144
Extra slides
NGS: Who we are…
• NGS traces their roots back to the original “Survey of
the Coast” mandated by Congress in 1806
• Department of Commerce
– National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Ocean Service
– National Geodetic Survey
• The predominant “Geodetic Science and Surveying”
civilian agency of the Federal Government.