The following is a short report of the meeting. The session was chaired by Dr. David Pugh, Chairman of the Group of Experts. The distribution of stations of each category as of October 1994 can be seen by Clicking Here. The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory of the UK produces altimetric topographic maps of the ocean which are validated by in situ level data from tide gauges.
Similar products are available from several other centres.
The Group wished to encourage other centres to produce similar products for regional sea-level monitoring. The Group emphasised the importance of gravity satellite missions for the development of a precise geoid for oceanographic and geophysiscal research. The representatives of the International Global Positioning System Service and experts in global and regional GPS took part in the discussion of this matter. The advances in the Global Positioning System now make it the best method for measuring vertical crustal motions at tide gauge stations to be used to monitor changes in absolute global sea level. Presently a network of about 50 permanent precision P-code receivers produce GPS data on a daily basis.