ILRS Eccentricity Files: SLR System Offsets

The dataset contains eccentricity files for the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) network, detailing offsets for mobile and permanent Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) systems. It defines eccentricities as offsets, typically under 15 meters, measured from ground monuments to the system's optical reference point. The data distinguishes between mobile systems, which occupy physical monuments, and permanent systems, which are referenced to their optical axes.

Use Cases

• Calibrating SLR station coordinates based on measured eccentricity offsets.
• Distinguishing between mobile and permanent ILRS system reference points using CDP and DOMES numbers.
• Validating the stability of a station's optical reference point over time.
• Resolving coordinate discrepancies when a single monument is occupied by multiple systems sequentially.

Strengths

• Cross-platform presence on datagov and NASA EarthData suggests established importance and curation.
• Provides a specific, documented definition for system eccentricities (offsets less than 15 meters).

Limitations

• Key metadata is missing or conflicting: row count, column names, and exact file size are unknown across all sources.
• License is ambiguously specified as 'other-license-specified' without further detail.
• The dataset's temporal coverage and update frequency are not provided.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS).

Collection Method

Likely compiled from measurements and documentation of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) network.

Freshness

Last updated on datagov: 2026-04-09.

Geography

Global, covering the ILRS network of SLR stations.