The IVS was established in 1999 as a service of the IAG. In August 2000 IVS was recognized as a service of IAU and became a FAGS service in 2001.
IVS is an international collaboration of
organizations which operate or support Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI)
components. The goals are to support geodetic, geophysical and astrometric
research and operational activities, to promote research and development
activities in all aspects of the geodetic and astrometric VLBI technique and to
interact with the users of VLBI products to integrate VLBI into a global Earth
observing system.
The VLBI technique contributes uniquely to the
definition and realization of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF),
to the monitoring of Universal Time (UTI) and length of day (LOD) and to
monitoring the coordinates of the celestial pole (nutation and precession).
Further significant products are all components of Earth Orientation Parameters
at regular intervals and station coordinates and velocity vectors for the
realization and maintenance of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF).
IVS consists of about 30 Network Stations
acquiring high performance VLBI data, 3 Operation Centers, coordinating the
activities of a network of network stations, 6 Correlators, processing the
acquired data, providing feedback to the stations and providing processed data
to the analysts, 6 Data Center, distributing the products to users, providing
storage and archiving functions, 21 Analysis Centers, analysing the data and
producing the results and products, 8 Technology Development Centers, developing
new VLBI technology and 1 Coordinating Center, coordinating daily and long term
activities, all together more than 75 components representing more than 30
institutions in 16 countries. IVS has about 250 Associate Members.
The IVS interacts closely with the IERS, which
is tasked by IAU and IUGG with maintaining the ICRF and ITRF. IVS coordinates
VLBI observing programs and sets performance standards for the observing
stations. IVS establishes conventions for data formats and products and issues
recommendations for analysis software. Finally IVS sets the standards for
analysis documentation and institutes appropriate product delivery methods in
order to insure product quality and timeliness.
For further information link to the IVS home page http://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov or contact:
Dirk Behrend
IVS Coordinating Center Director
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Code 698
Greenbelt, MD 20771
USA
Phone: ++1 301-614-5939
Fax: ++1 301-614-6522
e-mail: dirk.behrend@nasa.gov
Prof. Dr. Harald Schuh
Vienna University of Technology
Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics
Advanced Geodesy (128-1)
Gusshausstr. 27-29
1040 Wien
AUSTRIA
Phone: +43-1-58801-12860
Fax: +43-1-58801-12896
email: harald.schuh@tuwien.ac.at