Contribution of SLR to Earth Rotation and Terrestrial Reference Frames

Abstract

Since the launch of Lageos in 1976, satellite laser ranging (SLR) data have been collected from about 100 globally distributed sites, located on most major tectonic plates. These data have been used in a variety of geodetic and geophysical applications, especially to enable improvements in the models for the Earth’s gravity field as well as to study temporal variations in the field. Since 1980, the Lageos data have been used regularly to determine changes in the rotational components of the Earth. More recently, a series of measurements with mobile SLR and mobile VLBI systems have enabled comparisons between the terrestrial reference frames of the VLBI and SLR systems. This paper reviews the past and anticipated use of SLR in defining the terrestrial reference system and in determining rotation parameters. The potential contribution of new satellites is also considered.