University NAVSTAR Consortium GPS Data Catalog for Global Campaigns

The University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO) provides a catalog of Global Positioning System (GPS) data collected from various scientific campaigns. The catalog lists over 70 campaigns worldwide, including projects in Japan, Alaska, Antarctica, and Greenland, with data including raw field data and field logs. Data from projects funded by the National Science Foundation must be archived at UNAVCO, with accessibility based on principal investigator arrangements.

Use Cases

• Analyzing tectonic plate movement based on GPS time-series data from global campaigns.
• Studying crustal deformation in volcanic regions like Kilauea based on campaign location data.
• Mapping historical GPS data collection efforts for specific regions like the Cascades or Antarctica.
• Investigating temporal trends in geodetic data availability based on campaign start and stop dates.

Strengths

• Catalog lists over 70 distinct GPS data collection campaigns across the globe.
• Data includes raw field data and field-checked logs, suggesting primary source material.
• Policies for data deposit and release are documented in UNAVCO Data Archiving Guidelines.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation, sample data, and file formats are unknown.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

University NAVSTAR Consortium (UNAVCO), hosted via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Data collected and archived from scientific GPS campaigns, with NSF-funded projects required for deposit.

Time Range

Campaign start and stop dates are listed per project, but a specific overall temporal range is not provided.

Freshness

Last updated date is unknown.

Geography

Global coverage, with campaigns listed across six continents and numerous specific regions (e.g., Japan, Alaska, Antarctica, Greenland, Costa Rica).