The Role of Geodesy in the Earth Environmental Study

Abstract

In order to fully understand the state of the Earth's environment, extensive scientific efforts for detecting various phenomena on a global scale are necessary. Since geodesy is the science for measuring the Earth's configuration and deformation, its contribution to the Earth's environmental study is, as a matter of course, expected. At present, a number of institutions in Japan are engaged in such geodetical works as tidal measurement, leveling, space technology-based surveys (VLBI, SLR, GPS), absolute gravity measurement, superconducting gravity measurement, satellite altimetry, Earth rotation and polar motion measurement, and so on. They are also participating in numerous international observation programs and services. Considering the important role expected of these geodetic works, we recommend that they should be more effectively applied to the environmental study of the Earth.