Section 1.1 | Space Geodetic Techniques

water vapour profile
(GFZ)
[Translate to English:] Start des PRETTY-Kleinsatelliten
Launch of Vega VV23 rocket in Kourou, French Guiana. On 9 October 2023 at 03:36 CEST the 23rd Vega flight saw 10 satellites launched into Earth orbit. One of these was the small satellite PRETTY (Passive REflectomeTry and DosimeTrY) with an GNSS-Reflectometry experiment for innovative Earth’s surface remote sensing with active participation of section scientists. (Foto: ESA-CNES-Arianespace / Optique Vidéo du CSG)
PRETTY-Satellit
PRETTY satellite of ESA in 2023 in the thermal vacuum chamber of Beyond Gravity, Vienna. Part of the payload are antennas and receiver for a GNSS reflectometry experiment for innovative remote sensing of the Earth's surface, which is co-coordinated and performed by scientists of the section. (Credits: Beyond Gravity)
VLBI antenna
VLBI antenna at Geodetic Observatory Wettzell. VLBI is one of four space geodetic techniques utilized for the computation of the international Earth-fixed reference frame (ITRF). ITRF is the metric basis for geokinematics, Earth rotation and sea level. (Photo: R. Heinkelmann, GFZ)
GFZ water vapor radiometer
With the GFZ water vapor radiometer on building A17 we measure the integrated water vapor as an important parameter in the climate system in parallel and in close proximity to the GNSS ground station. The radiometer data serve as independent measurements to validate the GNSS data. In addition, the radiometer can also measure vertical profiles of temperature and humidity up to 10 km altitude. (Photo: Torsten Schmidt, GFZ)
GFZ Global GNSS Network 2024
GFZ Global GNSS Network 2024. This map shows the locations where we operate GNSS receivers. GNSS are satellite navigation systems such as GPS and Galileo. We use the recorded data to investigate ground movements, determine the water vapor content of the atmosphere or calculate satellite orbits. (GFZ)
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Our research focuses on the further development and geoscientific applications of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for the comprehensive observation of the complex Earth system. To this end, we operate more than 100 globally distributed GNSS ground stations and dedicated GNSS receivers on Low Earth Orbiting (LEO)- satellites. Additionally, we utilize extensive international observation infrastructures. This spectrum is complemented by work on Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), primarily to determine the terrestrial and celestial reference frame and the Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) as fundamental geodetic data products. This enables us to significantly contribute to various GFZ research topics (atmosphere, ocean/cryosphere, natural hazards, landscape development) as well as the MESI scientific infrastructure.

Our geoscientific GNSS applications are incredibly diverse. For example, we can precisely determine the geometric changes of the Earth’s surface within millimeters aiding accurate tracking of continental plate movements. Such measurements in real-time also play a crucial role in early warning systems for natural disasters. By analyzing GNSS signals modified when passing through the Earth’s atmosphere or reflected off its surface, we determine temperature, water vapour, electron density and properties of ocean, land and ice surfaces. Our data are used on a daily basis to improve weather forecasts and contribute to the Global Climate Observing System.

We are firmly integrated in an international environment with numerous interdisciplinary cooperation partners from research, education and industry as well as international organisations and research programmes.

Link of the Working Group: Astrogeodesy

Link to the website: Field Laboratory of Department 1

Highlights

Joint appointments and professorships:

  • 2023 | Prof. Ge Maorong | Professor at Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
  • 2023 | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Susanne Glaser | W3-Professorship “Space Geodetic Techniques” at the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation, University of Bonn, Germany
  • 2017 | Prof. Li Xingxing | Professor at School of Geodesy and Geomatics, Wuhan University, China
  • 2017 | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Harald Schuh | Adjunct Professor, Teheran University, Iran

Memberships in important committees:

  • 2021 | Appointment to the GNSS Science Advisory Board of the European Space Agency ESA | Prof. Dr. Jens Wickert
  • 2018 | Member of acatech – the German National Academy of Science and Engineering | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Harald Schuh

Ceremony 2025:

Ceremony 2024:

Ceremony 2022:

Ceremony 2021:

  • 2021 | IAG Young Authors Award 2019 of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) | Dr.-Ing. Susanne Glaser
  • 2021 | Geodesy Prize for an outstanding article in the journal zfv – Zeitschrift für Geodäsie, Geoinformation und Landmanagement – awarded by DVW e.V. together with the Nico Rüpke Foundation, Hamburg | Team of authors: Jens Wickert, Galina Dick, Torsten Schmidt, Milad Asgarimehr, Nikolaos Antonoglou, Christina Arras, Andreas Brack, Maorong Ge, Ankur Kepkar, Benjamin Männel, Chinh Nguyen, Temitope Seun Oluwadare, Harald Schuh, Maximilian Semmling, Tzvetan Simeonov, Sibylle Vey, Karina Wilgan und Florian Zus

Ceremony 2020:

  • 2020 | GFZ Prize "Senior Scientist 2020" | Dr. Galina Dick
  • 2020 | Bernd Rendel Prize 2020 of the German Research Foundation DFG | Dr.-Ing. Milad Asgarimehr
  • 2020 | Science Prize 2020 of the Geodesy Committee of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (DGK) | Dr.-Ing. Kyriakos Balidakis

Ceremony 2019:

Ceremony 2018:

  • 2018 | William Nordberg Medal of the International Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) | Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Reigber

Ceremony 2017:

Ceremony 2016:

Ceremony 2015:

Working together

Find all GFZ job offers here
Possible doctoral and master's theses as well as all student internships offered at the GFZ can also be found under the link above.

 

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