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HomeAboutNOS Fiscal Year 2016 Year in Review

# National Geodetic Survey

## NOS Fiscal Year 2016 Year in Review

## GRAV-D exceeds 50 percent of total coverage

            -  **SUPPORTS NOS PRIORITY:**:  Coastal intelligence, Coastal Resilience 

GRAV-D reaches 50 percent milestone of gravity completion.

The National Geodetic Survey’s  (NGS) Gravity for  the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV-D) project is covering the United States and its territories with  airborne gravity measurements to facilitate the creation of a new national  vertical reference system slated for launch in 2022. 

        In FY2016, GRAV-D achieved the  major milestone of having surveyed more than 50 percent of the total project  area. With each one percent of the project area equating to approximately 100  flight hours, GRAV-D has collected and processed data from a total of about  5,000 flight hours. More than three million square miles of data collection and  processing have been completed across the continental United States, Alaska,  Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

          The new vertical reference system  scheduled for release in 2022 will be built upon GRAV-D airborne gravity data,  together with both terrestrial and satellite data. Once implemented, GRAV-D  will provide an estimated cost savings of $4.8 billion to the Nation from  infrastructure cost savings, inundation models for storm surges and tsunamis,  and coastal intelligence and resilience initiatives for communities.

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## NGS Aerial Imagery Aids Safe Navigation and Captures Damage to Coastal Areas /NGS Acquires New Topobathy Lidar Collection Capability 

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: Coastal Intelligence 

LT Scott Broo acquiring aerial imagery aboard the NOAA King Air aircraft.

In August 2016, NGS collected  imagery to assist federal, state, and coastal managers in assessing damage from  flooding in Louisiana. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management  Agency and NOAA’s National Weather Service, NGS collected imagery using coastal  mapping and emergency response aircraft, and more than 2,000 images were made  available for the public. NGS  aerial imagery is a crucial tool to assess the damage to major ports and  waterways, coastlines, critical infrastructure, and coastal communities. This  imagery provides a cost-effective way to better understand the damage sustained  to both property and the environment.  NGS concluded topographic  bathymetric (‘topo-bathy’) light detection and ranging (lidar) data collection  along the outer reef of Florida using the Office of Marine and Aviation  Operation’s Twin Otter aircraft equipped with NGS’ newly-acquired Riegl  high-resolution nearshore lidar system. Data collected will support nautical  charting and will be used by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary for  bathymetry maps.  NGS produces the  national shoreline to provide critical baseline data for updating nautical  charts, defining our Nation’s territorial limits, and managing our coastal  resources. Additionally, the shoreline supports maritime trade and  transportation, coastal engineering and spatial planning, and a multitude of  activities for enhancing our global competitiveness and managing our resources.    

          An accurate, consistent, and up-to-date national  shoreline provides data to model sea level change, storm surge, coastal  flooding, and pollution trajectories and improves environmental analysis and  monitoring. 

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## The 2016 Airborne Gravimetry for Geodesy Summer School

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: Coastal Intelligence 

The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) hosted a  five-day Airborne Gravimetry for Geodesy  Summer School. The school brought experts from around the  world to share their knowledge pertaining to airborne gravity data collection  and processing techniques and its application to geodesy and geophysics.  Sixty-five participants from 12 different countries, including Germany, Spain,  and Saudi Arabia, to name a few, took part in the training.

World-renowned subject matter  experts from NGS and beyond provided lectures on the overarching theme of  airborne gravimetry. Lecture topics covered the history and fundamentals of  airborne gravimetry, airborne gravity data collection and processing, geoid  modeling using airborne gravity, the emerging developments in airborne  gravimetry for geodesy, and time-varying gravity and the geoid. 

This free-of-charge educational program covered  topics integral to NOAA’s mission and of great interest to the international  scientific community. Lecturers provided technical information on conducting  measurements of Earth’s gravity field from aircraft and combining that  information with other data sources to create the geoid. The school also  covered talks on recent advances in gravity measurement technology and aircraft  positioning. Presentation materials and recorded lectures from the school are  available on the NGS website.

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## NGS’ Expands Geodetic Advisor Program to Encompass the Entire United States 

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: Coastal Intelligence 

Map depicting the regional advisors and their designated territories. 

The National Geodetic Survey (NGS)  recently transitioned from a state advisor program, covering only 24  participating states, to our new Regional Advisor Program covering the entire  United States. Regional geodetic advisors serve as liaisons between NGS and our  public, academic, and private sector constituents within their assigned  regions, to ensure all territories are covered. 

Regional advisors provide expert  guidance to constituents who manage geospatial activities that are tied to the  National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). Geodetic advisors serve as   subject matter experts on geodetic issues in their region and collaborate internally  across NGS and NOAA to further the mission of the organizations. This  transition to a regional program is particularly important, as NGS plans to  replace the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) and the North American  Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) by 2022, when our Gravity for the Redefinition  of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV-D) project will be completed. During this  period of change, every state will need the direct support and technical  assistance provided by their regional advisor. 

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## NGS delivers new educational videos, online OPUS Projects training, and monthly webinars to the public.

            -  **Supports NOS priority**:Coastal Intelligence 

NGS added three new educational videos to its growing video library in FY16 

NGS’ partnership with The COMET©  Program resulted in the release of three new educational videos in FY2016 to  add to the current educational  video suite offered on the NGS web site.         Viewed more than 70,000 times, the  suite highlights  practical tips for addressing real-world problems for our customers working in  the field.  

The  monthly webinar series now averages more than 130 attendees  from across the country each month and has reached over 1,527 participants.  Topics presented range from an overview of scientific principles (e.g.  terrestrial gravity and space weather) to examples of NGS products and services  (e.g. topobathy lidar and VDatum). 

NGS has also dramatically increased  the accessibility of OPUS Projects training across the country by providing an  online delivery option. By expanding the use of OPUS Projects, we enable our  customers to conduct survey work more effectively and efficiently. 

###### **NGS** Highlights

            - **GRAV-D exceeds 50 percent of total coverage
            - **NGS Aerial Imagery Aids Safe Navigation and Captures Damage to Coastal Areas /NGS Acquires New Topobathy Lidar Collection Capability 
            - ** The 2016 Airborne Gravimetry for Geodesy Summer School
            - **NGS’ Expands Geodetic Advisor Program to Encompass the Entire United States
            - ** NGS delivers new educational videos, online OPUS Projects lessons, and monthly webinars to the public.

###### **NOS Accomplishments**

          -  Fiscal Year 2016 Highlights
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