Analysis Center Response Form
             Joint CSTG/IERS Call for Participation
     International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry

Analysis Center name: U.S. Naval Observatory 
Type of analysis center: global_x_   special___

Parent/Funding organization: U.S. Naval Observatory

Name and title of primary scientific/technical contact: 
Alan Fey, Astrometry Department, USNO

Name and title of administrative contact: 
Alan Fey, Astrometry Department, USNO

Mailing address: 
U.S. Naval Observatory
3450 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C., 20392
U.S.A.

Phone:    202-762-1517                   Fax: 202-762-1514

E-mail address: afey@usno.navy.mil  
Web address:  http://www.usno.navy.mil

If applying as a Special Analysis Center, describe the special type(s)
of analysis you will perform. If applying as a Global Analysis Center,
describe the global analysis you will perform. Indicate your specific
analysis interests and describe how you select the data you analyze.

We process and analyze IVS-R4 (NEOS A) 24-hour-duration data to
estimate the Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) weekly on a
near-real-time basis.  We plan to process the quasi-daily
short-duration IN1 (NEOS Intensive) sessions in near-real-time as
staffing and funding permit.  In addition, we acquire and combine all
other available geodetic and astrometric VLBI data as they become
available, and generate TRF, CRF, and EOP results from the complete
data set on a regular basis. A strong secondary interest is the
maintenance and extension of the ICRF.

Describe the computer hardware configuration and the software
package(s) you use for analysis.

Software: CALC/SOLVE
Hardware: HP 9000/785

Internet connection type or bit rate: T1               
Data storage capacity: 54 Gbytes

Describe any planned facility upgrades.  New computers as needed.

Number of full-time-equivalent personnel assigned to analysis center
functions: 1.2

Indicate which data center(s) you use: CDDIS and GSFC VLBI Group

Indicate which of the following IVS Analysis Center functions you will
perform and explain briefly how you will perform them:

Provide timely feedback to stations: Due to the near-real-time nature
of the USNO VLBI processing, we are generally the first source of
feedback to the stations used in the NEOS. We can generally provide
information on station problems within the week after their
occurrence.

Create high quality products and perform timely archiving and
distribution: In weekly solutions we use all the available
geodetic/astrometric data to make large solutions providing the
updated TRF, CRF and EOP results.  The resulting tables of station
positions and velocities, source positions, polar motion and UT1 are
made available through the USNO web and ftp sites.

Place final results (eg. TRF, CRF, EOP, and others) in IVS Data
Centers: The final results of the regular large solutions are
available from http://rorf.usno.navy.mil/solutions/.  We transmit the
TRF, EOP, and CRF results to the IVS as they become available.

Perform software development and documentation: We are limited to
local customization, minor bug fixes and updates of the scheduling and
analysis software.  We do, however, perform testing of new features
and other changes.

Compare products: We compare our EOP results with those from other
centers and techniques.

Adhere to IERS Conventions: We adhere to the standards of the the IERS
Conventions.

Attach a list of personnel (names and titles) whom you designate as IVS
Associate Members through their affiliation with your analysis center.

   Dr. Alan L. Fey, afey@usno.navy.mil
   Dr. David A. Boboltz, dboboltz@usno.navy.mil
   Mr. David M. Hall, dhall@usno.navy.mil

Please provide any other information that you feel will be helpful in
demonstrating your analysis center's capabilities to participate in
the IVS.  If you proposed to the IERS in 1995/6 as an analysis center
and wish to have that proposal carry over to the IVS, please make such
a statement in this proposal.

The USNO VLBI group has done VLBI analysis since 1987, and is active
in improving the VLBI technique. The USNO VLBI products contribute to
the near-real-time VLBI (especially UT1) information for the NEOS,
serving as the IERS Rapid Service/Prediction Center.

Your signature on this form indicates your agreement to participate in
the IVS as an Analysis Center and to work closely with the IVS
Analysis Coordinator.  If this is a new proposal (i.e. not carried
over from IERS) your signature commits your organization to
participate in the IVS.

Name of person signing: Kenneth J. Johnston
Title:  Scientific Director, U.S. Naval Observatory



Signature: _________________________________________   Date: _________________