# GPS Time Series Analysis from Aboa the Finnish Antarctic Research Station
## 1 Introduction  
Antarctica is an important area due to its ongoing glaciation and contemporary climate-driven rapid changes. Geodetic and geophysical observations on Holocene changes in Antarctica will give us unique information when studying global climate-change related phenomena. Long time series of geodetic and geophysical stations provide data explaining parts of the interaction between solid earth, cryosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere. They are also essential as ground truth when data from satellite missions are analysed. Finland joined the Antarctic Treaty in 1984, became consultative party in 1989 and full member of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) in 1990 [1,2]. Five years later after signingthe treaty, the Finnish research station, Aboa, was established in Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica. All Aboa activities were gathered under the general heading of the Finnish Antarctic Research Program (FINNARP). The first FINNARP expedition took place during the Antarctic summer of 89/90. Since then, a total number of 26 FINNARP expeditions have been arranged during the Antarctic summers ([[http://www.antarctica.fi/](http://www.antarctica.fi/)]([http://www.antarctica.fi/](http://www.antarctica.fi/))). There were no expeditions during the summers of 90/91, 94/95, 96/97 and 98/99. The research activities associated with the expeditions have been mainly financed by the Academy of Finland via regular calls for Antarctic research issued every fourth year. In addition, universities and research institutions invest financial resources of their own for Antarctic research [2]. In recent years, the Finnish Antarctic research has focused on geodesy [3; 4; 5], glaciology [6; 7; 8], geology and geophysics [9; 10; 11; 12; 13], air quality and climate change [14; 15; 16; 17; 18], meteorological and space physics [19; 20; 21; 22], marine and structural technology [23; 24], oceanography and marine biology [25; 26]. Typically, the research work has been undertaken at Aboa and surrounding areas. These research activities have sometimes been complemented with trips and overnight stays to more distant locations, including the coast. In addition, foreign researchers have participated in the FINNARP expeditions and Finnish researchers have worked at foreign research stations and on board of foreign vessels. For example, Finnish researchers have performed ozone and ultraviolet (UV) research at the Argentine Marambio research station, cosmic rays research at the Italian-French Dome Concordia station, or marine and sea-ice research on South African R/V Agulhas II. Absolute and relative gravity measurements have been done at the Norwegian Troll station, Russian Novolazarevskaya station, Indian Maitri station, and South African SANAE IV station. SCAR GPS measuring campaigns have been conducted at several locations, including Swedish Wasa station neighbouring Aboa. Furthermore, logistic and research support has been provided to international collaborators, e.g., satellite controlled meteorological balloons on behalf of the Smith College, USA ([[http://www.antarctica.fi/](http://www.antarctica.fi/)]([http://www.antarctica.fi/](http://www.antarctica.fi/))). Currently, the Aboa research station is equipped with several automated year-round measuring instruments, such as continuous GPS tracking equipment (2003), an automatic weather station (2004), and an automatic seismometre (2007). In addition, Finnish researchers have deployed other automated year-round measuring instruments outside Aboa, such as automated weather stations at the top of the Basen nunatak and near the coast, automated buoy at sea to measure the vertical temperature profile of sea ice, and cosmic ray detectors. All these measuring instruments ensure the collection of significant sample series and the continuation of long-term time series data in accordance with Finland's Antarctic research strategy [2].