Glossary – Geodesy
This glossary serves as a reference for understanding the many abbreviations and terms used in geodesy. It can be linked to other documents, ensuring an always up-to-date list directly connected to your content. Each term also appears as a link throughout this website. We aim to make the glossary as comprehensive as possible. If you notice missing terms or wish to suggest updates or corrections, please let us know.
A
- AC - Analysis Center
- ACC - Analysis Center Coordination
- ADT - Absolut Dynamic Topography
- AFREF - African Reference Frame
- AGrav - Absolute Gravity Database
- AGU – American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Altimetry
- APREF - Asia-Pacific Reference Frame
- ASI – Italian Space Agency
- Atmospheric Loading
B
- Bathymetry
- BDS - BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
- Bernese GNSS Software
- BEV - Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen
- BGI - International Gravimetric Bureau
- BKG - Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie
- Bouguer Anomaly
C
- Cadastre
- CDDIS - NASA’s Crustal Dynamics Data Information System
- CEOS – Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
- CHAMP - CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload
- CIO - Celestial Intermediate Origin
- CIP - Celestial Intermediate Pole
- CIP - Celestial Intermediate Pole
- CNES – France National Centre for Space Studies
- COB
- CODATA – International Science Council
- COPDESS
- Copernicus
- COSPAR – Commission on Space Research of International Science Council (ISC)
- COST-G - International Combination Service for Time-variable Gravity Fields
- CPO - Celestial Pole Offsets
- CRF - Celetial Reference Frame
- CryoSat
- CTOH
D
- DEM - Digital Elevation Models
- DGFI - Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut
- DLR - German Aerospace Center
- DOI - Digital Object Identifier
- DORIS - Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite
- DOT - Dynamic Ocean Topography
- DOT - Dynamic Ocean Topography
- DPOD - DORIS extension to the current ITRF for Precise Orbit Determination
- DSM - Digital Surface Models
- DTM - Digital Terrain Models
- DTRF
- dUT1
E
- Earth Observation
- Earth Rotation
- Earth System
- EGU – European Geoscience Union (EGU)
- Ellipsoid
- Ellipsoidal Height
- EOP - Earth Orientation Parameter
- EPN - Euorpean Permanent Network of EUREF
- ESA - European Space Agency
- Etalon – Satellite Mission
- ETRS89 - European Terrestrial Reference System 1989
- EUREF - Reference Frame Sub Commission for Europe
F
- FAGS - Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical Data Analysis Services
- FAGS - Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical Data Analysis Services
- FES2014b - Finite Element Solution 2014b
- FIG – International Federation of Surveyors
G
- GALILEO
- GAR19
- GATEW
- GCOS – Global Climate Observing System
- GENESIS
- GEO – Group on Earth Observations
- Geocenter
- GeodesyML
- Geoid
- Geoid Undulations
- Geometric Height
- GET - Géosciences Environment Toulouse
- GFZ - German Research Centre for Geosciences
- GGOS - Global Geodetic Observing System
- GGOS Core Sites
- GGOS Portal
- GGP - Global Geodynamic Project
- GGP - Global Geodynamic Project
- GGRF - Global Geodetic Reference Frame
- GGSC - Global Geodesy Supply Chain
- GIA - Glacial Isostatic Adjustment
- GIM - Global Ionosphere Maps
- GipsyX - GNSS Software
- GIS - Geographic Information Systems
- Global Water Cycle
- GLONASS - Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema
- GLOSS - Global Sea Level Observing System
- GMSL - Global Mean Sea Level
- GMT - Generic Mapping Tool
- GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite Systems
- GNSS-R | Reflectometry
- GNSS-RO | GNSS Radio Occultation
- GOCE
- GOOS – Global Ocean Observing System
- GPS - Global Positioning System
- GRACE - Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment
- GRACE Follow-On
- GRACE-FO | Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment Follow-On
- Gradiometry
- Gravimetry
- Gravity Field
- GRC
- GRS - Geodetic Reference System
- GTEWS - GNSS enhancement for Tsunami Early Warning Systems
I
- IAAC - Ionosphere Associate Analysis Centers
- IACS
- IAG - International Association of Geodesy
- IAG Commissions
- IAG Services
- IAGA
- IAGBN - International Absolute Gravity Basestation Network
- IAHS
- IAMAS
- IAPSO
- IAU - International Astronomical Union
- IAVCEI
- ICC - Inter Commission Committee's of IAG
- ICCC - IAG ICC on Climate Research for Geodesy
- ICCM - IAG ICC on Marine Geodesy
- ICCT - IAG ICC on Theory
- ICESat - Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite
- ICET - International Center for Earth Tides
- ICG – International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems of UNOOSA
- ICGEM - International Centre for Global Earth Models
- ICRF - International Celestial Reference Frame
- ICRF3
- ICRS
- IDEMS - International Digital Elevation Model Service
- IDS - International DORIS Service
- IERS - International Earth Rotation Service
- IGETS - International Geodynamics and Earth Tide Service
- IGFS - International Gravity Field Service
- IGRF - International Gravity Reference Frame
- IGRS - International Gravity Reference System
- IGS - International GNSS Service
- IGSN71 - International Gravity Standardization Net 1971
- IGSO – International Geodesy Student Organisation
- IHRF - International Height Reference Frame
- IHRF CC - Coordination Centre
- IHRS - International Height Reference System
- ILRS - International Laser Ranging Service
- InSAR - Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar
- Instrumental Drift
- IOC - Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
- Ionosphere
- IPP - Ionospheric Pierce Point
- IRNSS NavIC - Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
- ISC - International Science Council
- ISG - International Service for the Geoid
- ISO – International Organization for Standardization and its Technical Committee ISO/TC 211
- ISPRS – International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
- ITGRS International Terrestrial Gravity Reference System
- ITRF
- ITRF - International Terrestrial Reference Frame
- ITRF2014
- ITRFxxxx Realisations
- ITU – International Telecommunication Union
- IUGG
- IVS - International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry
J
- JAXA - Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
- JpGU – Japan Geoscience Union
- JPL
- JTRF - JPL Terrestrial Reference Frame
L
- LAGEOS - Laser Geodynamics Satellites
- LARES - Laser Relativity Satellite
- LEO - Low Earth Orbiter
- Levelling
- LiDAR - Light Detection and Ranging
- LLR - Lunar Laser Ranging
- LOD - Length of Day
- Lower Neutral Atmosphere
M
- Mapping
- MDT - Mean Dynamic Topography
- MEO - Medium Earth Orbit
- MSL - Mean Sea Level
- MSS - Mean Sea Surface
N
- NAREF - North American Reference Frame
- NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Navigation
- Neutral Atmosphere
- NGS
- NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- NOC
- Normal Height
- NRT - Near Real Time
O
P
- Photogrammetry
- Physical Height
- Planetary Geodesy
- PNT - Positioning, Navigation and Timing
- POD - Precise Orbit Determination
- Polar Motion
- PPP - Precise Point Positioning
- PSMSL - Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level
Q
R
S
- S/X
- SARAO
- SCAR - Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
- Sentinel
- SG - Superconducting Gravimeters
- SIRGAS - Geocentric Reference System for the Americas
- SLA - Sea Level Anomalies
- SLR - Satellite Laser Ranging
- SMAP - Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Microwave Radiometer Mission
- SMOS - Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity
- Solid Earth Tides
- SONEL - Système d’Observation du Niveau des Eaux Littorales
- Space Weather
- SSH - Sea Surface Height
- SSTop - Sea Surface Topography
- STEC - Slant Total Electron Content
- Strainmeters
- Stratosphere
T
- TEC - Total Electron Content
- Tectonic Plates
- Thermosphere
- Tidal Loading
- Tide Gauge
- Tides
- TIGA - Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring
- Tiltmeters
- TIO - Terrestrial Intermediate Origin
- TRF
- TRF - Terrestrial Reference Frame
U
- UN - United Nations
- UN-GGCE – United Nations Global Geodetic Center of Excellence
- UN-GGIM – United Nations Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management
- UN-SPIDER – Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response of UNOOSA
- UNAVCO
- UNDRR – United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
- UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
- UNOOSA – United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
- USNO - United States Naval Observatory
- UT1 - Universal Time 1
- UTC - Coordinated Universal Time
V
- VGOS - VLBI Global Observing System
- VLBI - Very Long Baseline Interferometry
- VTEC - Vertical Total Electron Content




