IGS Earth Rotation Parameters

Since its official start in January 1994, the International GPS Service (IGS) has been distributing, as part of its product combination, two distinct Earth rotation parameter (ERP) series: the IGS Rapid series and the IGS Final series. Initially, the IGS Rapid ERP values were interpolations of the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) Bulletin A, whereas the IGS Final ERP series was based on the IERS Bulletin B. Since June 1996, the IGS has been generating its own Final ERP series consistent with the IGS combined orbit products and based on weighted means of individual IGS analysis center (AC) solutions. At first, only the polar motion (PM) coordinates and their rates were combined. Length of Day (LOD) and Universal Time (UT) solutions, also based on separate weighted mean combinations, followed in March 1997. Currently, the IGS Rapid and Final combinations are produced and made available within 17 hours and 11 days, respectively, after the last observation. Both IGS and the best AC series are consistent and precise at the 0.1-milliarcsecond (mas) level for PM and at about 30 mu s for LOD. Biases in some AC solutions may exceed these consistency levels. Comparisons of both IGS ERP series with external standards, such as the IERS multitechnique Bulletins and atmospheric angular momentum series, confirm the estimated precisions. (c) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.