Reference Frame Evolution and Deployment: Current Needs and Development

Reference frames provide the basis to which our measurements are referred. As time has progressed, our understanding of and the nature of reference frames have evolved. The earliest reference frames were static and local (country scale). With the development of space geodetic systems, reference frames became global and started to include well-understood time-dependent components such as tidal deformations, linear tectonic motions, and, most recently, postseismic deformation models. There are ongoing debates about which terms should be included in the reference frame realization and about the accuracy with which the frame can be determined. In this REFAG/UAW meeting, there will be discussions of both the accuracy of frames, models that could be included, and the applications of these frames both on Earth and other bodies. In this talk, I will review the current state and nature of reference frames and how the proceedings from this meeting might lead us to a better understanding and utilization of these frames.