Glossary – Geodesy
This list provides a terminology reference to help users understand the various abbreviations used in Geodesy. You can also link it to your documents to keep an always up-to-date list directly connected to your content. Additionally, these terms will appear as tooltips on the IAG website (underlined with dots). We aim to make this list as complete as possible. If you notice any missing terms or would like 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
- 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




