Page 1 of 20 Ross Dependency (Antarctica): Current and Future Geodetic Activities OSG Technical Report 7 Graeme Blick Office of Surveyor-General 16 May 1999 Office of Surveyor-General OSG Technical Report 7 Land Information New Zealand 16 May 1999 © Crown Copyright RGP04070401 Page 2 of 20 Contents 1 Executive Summary ................................................................................................ 4 2 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Departmental Responsibility ............................................................... 5 2.2 New Zealand Geodetic Strategic Business Plan................................... 6 2.3 Scope of this Report........................................................................... 6 3 Geodetic Activities in the Ross Dependency........................................................... 8 3.1 New Zealand Activities....................................................................... 8 3.1.1 Historical Activities Pre 1996 ............................................................. 8 3.1.2 Activities Post 1996 ........................................................................... 8 3.1.1.1 Geodetic Network.............................................................................. 8 3.1.1.2 Cape Roberts Tide Gauge................................................................. 10 3.2 Overseas Activities........................................................................... 10 4 Future Geodetic Requirements in The Ross Dependency ..................................... 13 4.1 Spatial Infrastructure........................................................................ 13 4.2 Topographic Mapping ...................................................................... 14 4.3 Hydrographic Charting ..................................................................... 14 4.4 Science............................................................................................. 14 4.5 Other................................................................................................ 15 5 Future Land Information NZ Activities and Opportunities .................................. 16 5.1 Geodetic Network............................................................................ 16 5.2 Maintenance..................................................................................... 16 5.3 New Datum...................................................................................... 17 5.4 Mean Sea Level................................................................................ 17 6 Recommendations for Future Work...................................................................... 18 Office of Surveyor-General OSG Technical Report 7 Land Information New Zealand 16 May 1999 © Crown Copyright RGP04070401 Page 3 of 20 6.1 Datum Definition.............................................................................. 18 6.2 Datum Implementation ..................................................................... 18 6.3 Extension of the Geodetic infrastructure........................................... 18 6.4 Update of the Geodetic Database to Incorporate Antarctic Data....... 19 6.5 Ongoing Maintenance of the Geodetic Infrastructure ........................ 19 6.6 Cape Roberts Site............................................................................. 19 6.7 Liaison with Other Organisations...................................................... 20 7 References............................................................................................................. 21 Office of Surveyor-General OSG Technical Report 7 Land Information New Zealand 16 May 1999 © Crown Copyright RGP04070401 Page 4 of 20 ROSS DEPENDENCY (ANTARCTICA): CURRENT AND FUTURE GEODETIC ACTIVITIES 1 Executive Summary This reports details the current geodetic activities of Land Information NZ in the Ross Dependency and summaries the work of other New Zealand and overseas agencies. The following recommendations are made for future New Zealand geodetic activities [Note: Section 6 details the recommendations fully]: · In line with recommendations made by Grant and Belgrave [1996], the New Zealand Geodetic Strategic Business Plan [Office of Surveyor-General 1998a], and recognising New Zealand’s interest in Antarctica, a new datum, Ross Sea Region Geodetic Datum 2000 (RSRGD2000), should be developed for the Ross Dependency. This will be consistent with the Standing Resolutions from the XXV SCAR Concepcion, Chile, 20 - 24 July 1998 (Resolution 5). · RSRGD2000 should be implemented by 1 January 2000. · Consider extensions to the spatial coverage of the present geodetic infrastructure. · Geodetic data pertaining to Antarctica should be incorporated into the Land Information New Zealand Core Record System (CRS) and Geodetic Database to provide a full record of geodetic data in the Ross Dependency. · The following maintenance of the current geodetic infrastructure is required: · removal of trig beacons; · installation of LINZ bronze plaques; · update field site records; · rationalisation and organisation of field records. · The continued operation of the Cape Roberts tide gauge should be supported and data incorporated into the New Zealand Tidal Database. · Land Information NZ should continue to liaise with other groups working on geodetic activities in Antarctica and contribute to the SCAR, GIANT strategy for the development of a spatial infrastructure across all of Antarctica. Office of Surveyor-General OSG Technical Report 7 Land Information New Zealand 16 May 1999 © Crown Copyright RGP04070401 Page 5 of 20 2 Introduction 2.1 Departmental Responsibility Land Information NZ was established on 1 July 1996, taking over responsibility for the policy, regulatory and core government service delivery functions of the former Department of Survey and Land Information (DoSLI), the Land Titles Office, and for the purchase of core hydrographic services from the New Zealand Defence Force. In July 1998, as part of the restructuring of Valuation New Zealand, the Office of the Valuer-General was established within Land Information NZ. LINZ is focused on advising the Government, providing core statutory processes and infrastructure, and administering the Crown’s interests in land and making government-held land information available to the public. The department is the government’s spatial referencing authority, and the steward and standard-setter for core national land databases including the spatial referencing (geodetic) system, cadastral system, land titles, topography, hydrography, Crown property (excluding the Conservation Estate) and valuation. The territorial extent over which Land Information NZ has responsibility to provide a spatial reference system has been extended from principally the land mass of New Zealand and the Ross Dependency to include the area of bathymetric obligations within the Government’s area of maritime responsibility. In a review by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade [MFAT 1996], the New Zealand government has also reaffirmed its involvement in Antarctica. It has defined its strategic objectives as: “ the conservation of the intrinsic values of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, for the benefit of the world community and for present and future generations of new Zealanders. The aims are reflected in active and responsible stewardship, that promotes New Zealand’s interests by: · maintaining New Zealand’s long-term interest in and commitment to the Ross Dependency; · keeping Antarctica as a neutral and non-aligned neighbour; · enhancing New Zealand’s economic opportunities within the parameters of the Antarctic Treaty System; · enhancing New Zealand’s leadership in the governance of Antarctica; and · promoting Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science.” This commitment is further recognised through the development of a science strategic plan in Antarctica by Antarctica New Zealand [ANZ 1998]. Office of Surveyor-General OSG Technical Report 7 Land Information New Zealand 16 May 1999 © Crown Copyright RGP04070401 Page 6 of 20 2.2 New Zealand Geodetic Strategic Business Plan The geodetic system in New Zealand is the infrastructure that provides the ability to define spatial location for a large part of human activity. Land Information NZ has identified key business drivers that imply a requirement for the development of, and change to, the geodetic system. In 1998 a New Zealand Geodetic Strategic Business Plan [Office of Surveyor-General 1998a] was developed. The business plan included the provision and development of the geodetic system in New Zealand and the Ross Dependency. The purpose of the Strategic Business Plan was to articulate a vision and plan for the development of the geodetic system. Business drivers and issues were detailed and a number of short-term (3-year) and long term (10-year) goals identified to enable the business drivers to be satisfied. The following goals are identified as relevant to geodetic activities in the Ross Dependency: Goal One: To provide a cost-effective system that can generate current geometric (three-dimensional) coordinates of points in terms of a globally accepted system to an acceptable and defined accuracy. Goal Two: To provide a cost-effective system that can generate orthometric heights of points in terms of a nationally accepted system to an acceptable and defined accuracy. Goal Three: To support multiple projections, and authoritative