Coordinating Center Response Form Joint CSTG/IERS Call for Participation International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry Coordinating Center name: IVS Coordinating Center Parent/Funding organization: NEOS (National Earth Orientation Service), a joint effort of the U.S. Naval Observatory and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for VLBI Name of Coordinating Center Director: Nancy Vandenberg Mailing address: Code 920.1, GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771 Phone: 301-286-9019 Fax: 301-286-0213 E-mail address: nrv@gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov Web address: http://lupus.gs fc.nasa.gov/ivs.html Number of full-time equivalent personnel assigned to Coordinating Center functions: 2.5 (see attached) Explain briefly how you will perform the following: (see attached) Coordinate day-to-day and long-term activities Monitor, coordinate, and support IVS components Work closely with Technology, Analysis, and Network Coordinators Explain briefly how you will perform the following IVS Coordinating Center functions: (see attached) Coordinate observing programs Maintain master schedule Foster communications Define use of community resources Develop standards Provide training Organize workshops and meetings Produce reports Maintain the IVS information system Provide liaison with IERS, IAG, IAU Provide the Secretariat of the IVS Directing Board Describe how you will select names for the Members at Large for recommendation to the Directing Board. (See attached) Attach a list of personnel (names and titles) whom you designate as IVS Associate Members through their affiliation with your coordinating center. (See attached) Please provide any other information that you feel will be helpful in demonstrating the capabilities of your institution to provide the Coordinating Center for the IVS. If you proposed to the IERS in 1995/6 as the VLBI coordinating center and wish to have that proposal carry over to the IVS, please make such a statement in this proposal. We wish to have the IERS proposal for NEOS as VLBI Coordinating Center carry over to IVS. Your signature on this form indicates your agreement to participate in the IVS as the Coordinating Center. If this is a new proposal (i.e. not carried over from IERS) your signature commits your organization to participate in the IVS. Persons signing: Name: David E. Smith Name: Kenneth J. Johnston Title: Chief, Laboratory for Title: Scientific Director, Terrestrial Physics, Scientific Director, Goddard Space Flight Center U.S. Naval Observator Signature: _________________________ Signature:___________________ Date: _________________ Date:___________________ Explanations for IVS Coordinating Center (IVS-CC) Proposal 1. Coordinate day-to-day and long-term activities Day-to-day the IVS-CC will serve as the first point of contact for the IVS community and the greater scientific community. We will provide information and answers to questions about IVS or VLBI either directly or we will route the requests to other appropriate IVS components. We will emphasize "communications" and "information" as the main goals of the IVS-CC. We will help to maintain efficient communication channels among all IVS components by setting up e- mail lists, bulletin boards, and web site pages. We will develop and maintain an information system about IVS components and products that will be useful for IVS use and for the general scientific community. Over the long term the IVS-CC will annually gather inputs on future scientific and technical needs and plans from IVS components and from cooperating organizations. The IVS-CC coordinate activities with the astronomical community who use many of the same facilities as the IVS. 2. Monitor, coordinate, and support IVS components The IVS-CC will track performance parameters of all the IVS components and produce periodic reports. The information will be distributed via appropriate Web pages and other means. Performance will be tracked against standards for each component that are adopted by the Directing Board. We will coordinate the efforts of all components to facilitate the flow of data and timely delivery of final products. We will support each IVS component by facilitating communications and gathering and providing information that they need. The IVS-CC will serve as the primary interface with the user community and will provide appropriate support services. 3. Work closely with Technology, Analysis, and Network Coordinators The IVS-CC will hold regular meetings or telecons with the three Coordinators to discuss current projects, address any problem areas, and consider future plans. The IVS-CC will support the Coordinators by providing such services as gathering monitor and performance data, automating procedures for collecting analysis results, distributing documents, publishing reports, and assisting with communications and data flow. 4. Coordinate observing programs The IVS-CC will produce and maintain the master observing schedule for geodetic VLBI. We will maintain cognizance of the astronomical community's observing schedules and plans. At the direction of the Directing Board we will develop procedures for accepting and reviewing external observing proposals to use IVS resources. 5. Maintain master schedule The IVS-CC will gather information about the scientific objectives of the observing programs of IVS components as well as the network and correlator resources. Then we will coordinate an overall master schedule that allows each component to meet its goals while making the most efficient use of community resources. The IVS-CC will coordinate special experiments as needed, such as fringe tests or other one-time (or few-time) sessions. 6. Foster communications The IVS-CC will maintain e-mail lists for the use of all IVS components. We will maintain the web site for IVS. We will publish a newsletter that will be available on the web site as well as via e-mail. We will maintain archives of e-mail correspondence for easy reference. 7. Define use of community resources We will coordinate with the IVS components that are providing resources such as tapes, data storage, maintenance services, correlator time, and antenna time. We will suggest a plan for the use of these resources, obtain approval from the providers, and monitor the execution of the plan. 8. Develop standards The IVS-CC will document standards of performance for IVS components and propose them to the Directing Board for adoption. Standards will be based initially on the performance of the best IVS components. We will work with the relevant IVS Coordinator to develop the documents. 9. Provide training The IVS-CC will organize a training program for IVS components using a three-point plan. 1) We will hold bi-annual large meetings for general training and exposure, such as the chiefs meetings. 2) We will organize smaller meetings focused on a single topic or area for training, such as recorder maintenance or usage of SOLVE. 3) We will establish a regular program of visits to network stations by VLBI experts for on-site, hands-on intensive training. We will also establish an outreach program to encourage interest in VLBI by students. 10. Organize workshops and meetings The IVS-CC will organize an annual technical/scientific meeting of all IVS components. The purpose of the meeting will be to exchange information on IVS operations and products, to inform the IVS community about status and future plans, to provide a forum for presentation of scientific results from IVS programs. 11. Produce reports The IVS-CC will publish an annual report that includes contributions from each IVS component. The report will be published electronically and also on paper if funds permit. The report will serve as an example of the source data for IVS products. 12. Maintain the IVS information system The IVS-CC will develop and maintain an information system for the use of all IVS components and external users. We will collect and organize all available documentation into an electronic library. We will establish and maintain the IVS web site as a system for distributing IVS products. We will investigate means of automating file transfers and information updates so that the web site is always current. 13. Provide liaison with IERS, IAG, IAU The IVS-CC will serve as liaison with external organizations. IVS maintains a special relationship with the IERS because the IVS-CC is the technique coordinator for the IERS. In this capacity, we will recruit a qualified individual to serve as IVS representative to the IERS Directing Board and we will strive to maintain close and effective cooperation between the two organizations. The IVS-CC will provide information as needed to IAG and IAU concerning activities of the IVS and its products. 14. Provide the Secretariat of the IVS Directing Board The IVS-CC will provide administrative support for the IVS Directing Board. We will arrange for Directing Board meeting times and locations, produce and distribute the minutes of the meetings, and mail reports, and perform other duties as needed. Members at Large We propose to follow the policy for Members at Large described in the IVS Terms of Reference. We will examine the list of Directing Board members and note each institution, IVS component, and country. We will then determine which countries or components are not represented or under-represented. We will identify a short list of people who would help balance representation and contact each one to learn if they would be willing to be considered for serving on the Board. The final list will be presented for election by the Board. Coordinating Center Staff We propose a staff of 2.5 full-time-equivalent (FTE) persons for the IVS Coordinating Center. Following are brief descriptions of each person's responsibilities. FTE Title and Responsibilities 0.5 Director: Responsible for overall direction and management of Coordinating Center and its staff; coordination of plans and activities with the three Coordinators; liaison with external groups and the IVS Directing Board; design and organization of IVS information system; coordination of reports, standards and other documents; coordination of training program; management of product delivery procedures. 0.5 Operations Manager: Responsible for coordinating master schedule of observing and correlation, including coordination with astronomy network schedules; management of community resources; maintenance of operations data base and web pages; administration of Coordinating Center activities; coordination of special sessions. 0.5 Web Manager/Programmer: Responsible for maintaining the web server for the IVS information system; developing programs and scripts to support and automate the information system; set up communications for e-mail and newsgroups; system backups; mirror site liaison. 1 Data Technician/Programmer: Responsible for maintenance of IVS information system data bases, including gathering and entering data; production and distribution of IVS reports and documentation; data archiving; IVS product delivery support. Associate Members Kenneth J. Johnston, Scientific Director, U.S. Naval Observatory, kjj@astro.usno.navy.mil Dennis D. McCarthy, Director of Time, U.S. Naval Observatory, dmc@maia.usno.navy.mil Jim R. Ray, Head of Earth Orientation Dept., U.S. Naval Observatory, jimr@maia.usno.navy.mil T. Marshall Eubanks, Earth Orientation Dept., U.S. Naval Observatory, tme@cygx3.usno.navy.mil Brent A. Archinal, Earth Orientation Dept., U.S. Naval Observatory, baa@casa.usno.navy.mil John M. Bosworth, Associate Head Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics, GSFC, jmb@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov Thomas A. Clark, Geophysicist, Goddard Space Flight Center, clark@tomcat.gsfc.nasa.gov Chopo Ma, Geophysicist, Goddard Space Flight Center, cma@virgo.gsfc.nasa.gov William T. Wildes, GSFC VLBI Network Manager, wtw@wildbill.gsfc.nasa.gov William E. Himwich, Scientist, NVI, Inc./Goddard Space Flight Center, weh@vega.gsfc.nasa.gov Nancy R. Vandenberg, VLBI Manager, NVI, Inc./Goddard Space Flight Center, nrv@gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov Cynthia C. Thomas, Operations Manager, NVI, Inc./Goddard Space Flight Center, cct@gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov Frank G. Gomez, Web Manager, Raytheon/STX, fgg@gemini.gsfc.nasa.gov