Argentinean-German Geodetic Observatory
Coordinates: 34 ° 52 ′ 25.7 ″ S , 58 ° 8 ′ 23.1 ″ W The Argentinean-German Geodetic Observatory (AGGO) is a portable geodetic observatory for high-precision measurements of artificial earth satellites and quasars . It was developed by German geodesists and is currently located near La Plata , Argentina .
The German-Argentine geodetic observatory AGGO represents a flexible option to operate a so-called fundamental station in those regions or continents that have not yet been measured with highly precise cosmic methods.
The system is designed for transport in six containers and is constructed in such a way that it can be installed on a specially constructed platform at any location suitable for assembly.
With its measurements, AGGO realizes a fundamental global reference point in space, time and in the earth's gravitational field. The following methods of earth measurement are used centrally from one location :
- VLBI radio interferometry to distant radio sources (several hundred almost punctiform quasars ) with a 6-meter radio telescope that can be dismantled
- the Global Positioning System (GPS), the related systems GLONASS and Galileo
- Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), a millimeter-accurate distance measurement with a strongly bundled laser from the observatory to retroreflectors on satellites
- Cesium frequency standards and hydrogen masers to define a local time scale and precise measurement of time intervals (10 −12 )
- absolute and relative gravimetry to observe the acceleration due to gravity and its variability (earth tides) at this reference point
- complementary sensors for the acquisition of meteorological data of the local earth atmosphere ( air temperature , humidity, pressure) as well as hydrological sensors; all for the exact reduction of the other measurements
- classic geodetic instruments such as total station and level, in order to be able to spatially link the measurement-independent reference points of the respective methods in a local geodetic control network and to monitor their positional stability over the long term.
The observatories measuring on all continents form a global survey network , the quality of which is favored by an even global distribution of the reference stations. Due to the small land mass in the southern hemisphere and the mostly insufficient development of many countries, there are very few geodetic observatories there. Due to its location, AGGO is particularly important for the global network. The global geodetic network carries out uninterrupted monitoring of the earth, its rotation and plate tectonics , which leads to better and better terrestrial reference systems over the course of several years . These earth models (see ITRS and ITRF ) currently have global accuracies of a few centimeters. With the introduction of improved technology and the expansion of the global network, global accuracy will increase even further in the future.
In addition to geodesy , all of these fundamental systems are also fundamental for other disciplines, in particular for astronomy , physics , geosciences and space travel .