RESOLUTION FOR PROMOTING VLBI AT SYOWA STATION IN ANTARCTICA
The Committee on VLBI Technical Development Center (TDC) in Communications Research
Laboratory (CRL) under International Earth Rotation Service (IERS),
CONSIDERING,
(a) that Japan conducted successfully the test VLBI experiment in Antarctica in
January, 1990, whose results are of great contribution to the international VLBI
community,
(b) that it is, however, still under planning phase to prepare the necessary
equipments for the regular VLBI experiment at Syowa Station,
(c) that Germany has recently constructed the VLBI systems at O'Higgins in Antarctica,
and the USA is planning to develop the VLBI station in Antarctica,
(d) that Syowa Station is expected to play an essential role in Antarctica VLBI,
(e) that IERS understands the importance of
- precise earth's rotation observation by global VLBI network including
Antarctic region,
- establishment of the terrestrial reference frame especially in the southern
hemisphere including the Antarctica,
- establishment of the celestial reference frame including the radio sources
in the southern hemisphere,
and
- monitoring the global environments including the atmosphere and oceans in
Antarctica,
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVES that the following actions should be urged,
(1) that the institutions and organizations conducting IERS VLBI program make every
efforts to promote the construction of a VLBI facilities in Antarctica,
(2) that the regular VLBI experiment will be started urgently at Syowa Station in
Antarctica among the international VLBI network.