The Space-Geodetic Observatory at Ny-Ålesund is a multi-parameter observing site located on the west coast of Spitsbergen, the main island of Svalbard. The station was established in 1994 as a result of a cooperation between NASA, NOAA and the Norwegian Mapping Agency. The site features a 20-meter VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) antenna which contributes to the International VLBI Service ( IVS ) as a network station. Mechanically, the antenna is an azimuth/elevation, and is almost identical to the antennas at Green Bank and Kokee.
The VLBI technique is one of several observations carried out at the Space-Geodetic Observatory at Ny-Ålesund. The observatory has developed into a fundamental geodetic station with co-location of space-geodetic techniques and geophysical instruments. It has two GPS antennas in the IGS system, and both a LaCoste-Romberg gravimeter and a Super Conducting Gravimeter are installed on the site. The site also includes a CHAMP GPS and a PRARE installation. The different measurements are tied together by means of an accurate control network. This network is extended to the local surroundings (30-50 km) to keep track of eventual local deformation. |
| Location | ||||
| Description: |  The Norwegian Mapping Authority operates a major space geodetic research facility in Ny- Ålesund, Spitsbergen. Combining observations of geodetic satellite systems and extragalactic radio sources allows terrestrial and celestial reference systems to be interconnected. This provides for high precision results and long term stability, requirements that must be fullfilled in geodetic research and also opens up for scientific and practical applications in geodynamics, global and regional climatic change, navigation and astronomy. The observatory is an important element in global networks. NASA has contributed advanced recording equipment to the facility and provided specialized technical support. | |||
| Country: | Norway | |||
| State/Province/Region: | Svalbard | |||
| Altitude in feet: | 262 | |||
| Altitude in meters: | 80 | |||
| Latitude (Decimal, Degreesºmm'ss") : | 78.93º N 78º55'48" N | |||
| Longitude (Decimal, Degreesºmm'ss") : | 11.87º E 11º52'12" E | |||
| Environment Types Accessible at this Location | ||||
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| Local History and Culture | ||||
| Description: | The Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) station at the Space Geodetic Observatory in Ny-Ålesund was established as a result of a cooperation between NASA, NOAA and Norwegian Mapping Agency. The antenna was assembled the summers 1993 and 1994 and first regular experiment was carried out in the autumn of 1994. The station has been operational since 1st of January 1995. | |||
| Primary Logistics Provider | ||||
| Organization: | Ny-Ålesund Geodetic Observatory | |||
| Address: | Box 13, N-9173 Ny-Alesund, Norway | |||
| Telephone: | +47-79-027010 | |||
| Fax: | +47-79-027148 | |||
| E-mail: | vlbi@statkart.no | |||
| Contact person or agency web page: | http://www.statkart.no/skgd/nyaales/ | |||
| Primary Management Agency | ||||
| Email: | plag@statkart.no | |||
| Fax: | +47-32-118101 | |||
| Telephone: | +47-32-118474 | |||
| Organization: | Norwegian Mapping Authority (Statens Kartverk) | |||
| Web site: | http://www.statkart.no/ | |||
| Contact information: | Dr. Hans-Peter Plag Shipping address: Kartverksveien 21, N-3504 Honefoss, Norway Postal address: Serviceboks 15, N-3504 Honefoss, Norway | |||
| Infrastructure | ||||
| Roads, Running water, Electricity, Heat, Post office, Mail service | ||||
| Communications and Data Systems | ||||
| Radio communications, Local area network (LAN), Internet access, Telephone system, Fax send/receive | ||||
| Data acquisition: | The observatory is equipped with microwave receivers and recording instruments for the American Global Positioning (GPS) satellite system, the German Prare system on the ESA ERS-2 satellite, and the Russian Syrius-A system for the Glonass satellites. The former two are in regular operation on a continuous basis while the latter is intended only for special experiments. A dual frequency GPS receiver serves as an important tracking station in an international collaborative network, thus exploiting the unique geographic location of the observatory. The International GPS Service for Geodynamics (IGS) is a global network of permanent high quality GPS satellite receivers. The data from this core network are continuously processed to provide high quality GPS satellite orbit information. Thus, the IGS network provides a terrestrial reference frame for global and regional high precision geodesy. This allows applications in geodynamic studies, sea level monitoring, and selected positioning exercises. | |||
| Laboratory Space | ||||
| GIS, General use computers / printers in lab space, Telephone in lab space, Place to mount antennas, Electricity in lab space, E-mail send/receive in lab space, Desk/office space, Internet access in lab space | ||||
| Lab space: | The facility consists of a 20 meter diameter VLBI radio telescope, several satellite receiver systems for GPS, Prare and Glonass, an automated tide gauge and an earth tide gravimeter. NYAL Ny-Ålesund 20-metre Antenna http://ivs.crl.go.jp/mirror/publications/ar1999/nsnyal/nsnyal.html | |||
| Current Projects and Research History | ||||
| Research sources: | Research projects undertaken at the Space Geodetic Observatory facility: 2000: Reference point for geodetic VLBI antenna at Ny-Ålesund using GPS receivers. Determination of the position and possible low time scale variability due to thermal expansion Scientist responsible: Paolo Tomasi, Istituto di Radioastronomia CNR, Area della ricerca CNR, Via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy 2000: Tidal effects on the determination of tropospheric water vapour using geodetic space techniques Scientist responsible: Antonio Rius, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC), Edif. Nexus, Gran Capità 2-4, 08034 Barcelona, Spain 2000: Conventional survey tie between VLBI and GPS reference points at Ny-Ålesund Scientist responsible: Axel Nothnagel, Geodetic Institute of the University of Bonn, Nussallee17, DE-53 115 Bonn, Germany 2000: A new GPS-VLBI tie at Ny-Ålesund Scientist responsible: Rüdiger Haas, Onsala Space Observatory, SE-439 92 Onsala, Sweden 2000: Absolute gravity measurements in Svalbard: long term evolution and accurate calibration of the superconducting gravimeter Scientist responsible: Jacques Hinderer, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, 5, rue René Descartes 67084, Strasbourg, France 2001: Communication capacity of climate field research for society's environmental awareness Scientist responsible: Joana Diaz Pont, Centre of Environmental Information Studies (CEIA), Catalan Institute of Technology (ICT), C/Ciutat de Granada, 131, 08018 Barcelona, Spain 2001: Micro-movements on permafrost ground with regard to special purpose buildings built on it Scientist responsible: Hans-Joachim Kuempel, Geological Institute, Section Applied Geophysics, University of Bonn, Nussallee 8, 53115 Bonn, Germany 2001: Absolute gravity measurements in Svalbard: long term evolution and accurate calibration of superconducting gravimeter Scientist responsible: Bernd Richter, Bundesamt fuer Kartographie und Geodaesie (BKG), Richard Strauss Allee 11, D-60598 Frankfurt am Main, Germany 2002: Proposal to the LSF to undertake absolute and relative gravity measurements in Svalbard to investigate ice-mass changes and to calibrate the superconducting gravimeter, CT 039 Scientist responsible: Tonie van Dam, European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology, 19 Rue Josy Welter, L-7256 Walferdange, Luxembourg 2002: Collocation and stability of tide gauge and space geodetic observation platforms at Ny-Ålesund Scientist responsible: Martin Lidberg, Onsala Space Observatory ()OSO), Department for Radio and Space Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Råö, SE-439 92 Onsala, Sweden 2002: Neotectonic geological study and classical geodesy methods applied to active fault monitoring in Ny-Ålesund Scientist responsible: Paolo Tomasi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto de Tecnologia Informatica Spaziale, C.P. Aperta c/o Poste Ufficio C.O.P. - c/o CGS - ASI Loc. Terlecchia 75100 Matera, Italy 2002: Impact of ionospheric scintillation on GPS measurements in the Arctic Circle Scientist responsible: Alan Dodson, University of Nottingham, Inst. of Engineering Surveying and Space Geodesy; University Park, Notthingham, NG7 2RD, UK Click here for information on research in the vicinity of Ny-Ålesund from the database of Veco Polar Resources. | |||
| Reference sources: | For a concise explanation of VLBI, and the history of the IVS, view this web brochure from NASA. For information about the global IVS program, visit the IVS home page. | |||