Two examples of optimal design of geodynamic GPS networks

Abstract

Many local geodynamic geodetic GPS networks are increasingly being exploited for monitoring crustal movements and deformations. It is thus very important that such monitoring networks should be developed and observed in the most economical way and at the same time satisfy some precision and reliability criteria set by the user. In this report we present our solution of the optimal design of two-dimensional geodynamic GPS networks which guarantees the required precision of parameters for the chosen deformation model with the least cost. A common cost criterion is used as a target function and the non-linear programming problem is solved for an optimal set of GPS vectors. The proposed methodology is illustrated using two optimization examples of working GPS networks using simple deformation models.