************************************************************************ IERS Message No. 414 December 14, 2020 ************************************************************************ Session on consistent geodetic products at EGU 2021 Dear colleagues, We would like to draw your attention to the session "G2.3 New strategies for consistent geodetic products and improved Earth system parameters" organized at the upcoming virtual General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (vEGU21), taking place from April 19-30, 2021. Please consider submitting an abstract to this session. The deadline for abstract submission is January 13, 2021 at 13:00 CET. We are looking forward to your contribution. vEGU2021 format: https://egu21.eu/about/provisional_format_of_egu21.html Abstract submission: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU21/abstractsubmission/39908 Best wishes, Benjamin Maennel, Mathis Blossfeld, Benedikt Soja, Daniela Thaller ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Session description: The geodetic products that describe the Earth system are of high quality, although the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) goals of 1 mm accuracy and 0.1 mm/yr stability for the terrestrial reference frame (TRF), the Earth Orientation Parameters (EOPs) and the static and time-variable gravity field of the Earth are not yet fully reached. There are limiting factors that need to be detected, analyzed, and quantified. In this context, the usage of a sub-set of available observations only, degrading station equipment quality, limitations in the observing concepts as well as deficiencies in the analysis and combination methods evoke the question whether and how the derived Earth system products can be improved. In principle, there are two ways to investigate the best methods for improving geodetic products. (A) New strategies of handling, analyzing, and combining already existing space-geodetic observations need to be developed. (B) The existing observing infrastructure should be extended by new stations, new satellite missions, and new types of observations. To realize new observing concepts, simulation studies are indispensable. This session provides a platform for presentations of new strategies, new analysis methods and simulation studies seeking to improve the determination of Earth system parameters and geodetic products such as the Terrestrial and Celestial Reference Frame (TRF, CRF), EOPs, Earth's gravity field, satellite orbits, as well as atmospheric key parameters. Novel approaches to achieve a consistent estimation of the three pillars of geodesy, i.e., geometry, orientation and gravity, are highly welcomed. Investigations reaching for a better consistency between the individual parameters and between the products (TRF, CRF, EOP, gravity field) are also welcomed. In addition, we are seeking contributions focusing on new combination approaches and alternative analysis concepts such as employing co-locations in space, clock ties, or atmospheric ties. Simulation studies investigating dedicated co-location satellites or novel observation methods (e.g. inter-satellite links or VLBI tracking of GNSS satellites) and their potential for improving the geodetic parameters are also highly encouraged. ************************************************************************ IERS Messages are edited and distributed by the IERS Central Bureau. If not stated otherwise, the IERS is only the distributor of the message and is not responsible for its content. To submit texts for distribution, please write to . To subscribe or unsubscribe, please create an IERS account or modify it: https://www.iers.org/Login/Login/EN/login_node.html or write to . Archives: http://www.iers.org/Messages ************************************************************************