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Journal of Surveying Engineering / Volume 134 / Issue 4 / TECHNICAL PAPERS

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Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS): History, Applications, and Future Enhancements

J. Surv. Eng. 134, 95 (2008); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9453(2008)134:4(95) (10 pages)

Richard A. Snay1 and Tomás Soler, M.ASCE2

1Chief, Spatial Reference System Division, National Geodetic Survey, NOS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1315 East-West Hwy., Silver Spring, MD 20910. E-mail: Richard.Snay@noaa.gov
2Chief Technical Officer, Spatial Reference System Division, National Geodetic Survey, NOS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1315 East-West Hwy., Silver Spring, MD 20910. E-mail: Tom.Soler@noaa.gov

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(Submitted 18 May 2007; accepted 21 April 2008)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) manages the National Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) system that comprises a network of over 1,350 sites, each containing a geodetic quality Global Navigation Satellite System receiver. This network is currently growing at a rate of about 15 sites per month. NGS collects, processes, and distributes data from these sites in support of high-accuracy three-dimensional positioning activities throughout the United States, its territories, and a few foreign countries. CORS data are also used by geophysicists, meteorologists, atmospheric and ionospheric scientists, and others in support of a wide variety of applications. This paper addresses the history of the CORS network, some of its applications, and plans for enhancing it within the next few years.

© 2008 ASCE

Acknowledgments

This paper is dedicated to Bill Strange, the “Father of CORS.” Bill’s vision and impetus when he served as NGS’s Chief Geodesist provided the inspiration that shaped the early days of the CORS program. Although initially designed to support geodetic activities, the CORS program has contributed to several additional scientific applications. Other important contributors from NGS include, in alphabetical order: Gordon Adams, Donna Amoroso, Nancy Brantner, Hong Chen, Miranda Chin, Michael Cline, Cindy Craig, Dave Crump, William Dillinger, Dave Doyle, Nancy Doyle, Jim Drosdak, Robert Dulaney, Mark Eckl, Joseph Evjen, Richard Foote, Steve Frakes, Don Haw, Steve Hilla, Michelle Ho, Toni Hollingsworth, Ying Jin, William Kass, Gerald Mader, Richard Male, Ernie Marion, Frank Mowry, Linda Nussear, Julie Prusky, Jim Ray, Jim Rohde, Bruce Sailer, Donna Sailer, Mark Schenewerk, Charles Schwarz, Giovanni Sella, Dru Smith, Paul Spofford, Lijuan Sun, Vicki Veilleux, and Neil Weston. Their continuous striving for perfection has been exemplary. Finally, the success of the CORS program is due to contributions from more than 200 organizations, with each organization operating at least one CORS. For a current list of these organizations, please see the CORS Newsletter at www.ngs.noaa.gov/CORS/. Comments on the draft made by John Hamilton and two anonymous reviewers are greatly appreciated.

Article Outline

  1. Historical Introduction
  2. CORS and the Definition of the NSRS
  3. Data Archives
  4. UFCORS
  5. CORS Applications
    1. Upgrading the NSRS
    2. Assessing GPS Observational Accuracies
    3. Multipath Studies
    4. Crustal Motion
    5. Sea Level Changes
    6. Tropospheric Studies
    7. Ionospheric Studies
    8. Geolocation of Aerial Moving Platforms
  6. On the CORS Horizon
  7. Conclusions

KEYWORDS

ASCE SUBJECT HEADINGS

Satellites, Geodetic surveys, History

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ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9453(2008)134:4(95)

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

0733-9453 (print)  
1943-5428 (online)

Publisher

ASCE

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