On the determination of terrestrial reference frame by SLR and GPS techniques

As a basis for many applications the terrestrial reference frame has to be determined and maintained with high accuracy. This implies the investigation of different geodetic and geodynamic parameters as well as the application of different redundant methods of measurement and analysis. The potential offered by several space geodetic techniques is discussed. The results obtained for the different parameters under investigation show that each technique has its own unique potential. Together with other techniques, SLR and GPS make significant contributions to the monitoring of the terrestrial reference frame. The effectivity of SLR could still be further enhanced if the global distribution of stations could be optimized. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd