[IGSMAIL-1045] DOMES numbers in RINEX headers

[Werner]

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IGS Electronic Mail      Mon Aug 21  6:22:49 PDT 1995      Message Number 1045
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Author: Werner Gurtner, IGS Central Bureau
Subject: DOMES numbers in RINEX headers

To:      IGS Operational Centers and Tracking Stations

DOMES Number in the RINEX Files
-------------------------------

Dear colleagues,

the DOMES number (e.g. 14001M004) is the only truly unique identifier of a
marker within the network of permanent IGS stations. It has been defined by
the IERS already for the sites of other space technique sites such as VLBI
and SLR.

It contains: - one digit for the continent (e.g.: 1=Europe)
             - two for the country (40=Switzerland)
             - two for the site    (01=Zimmerwald)
             - one character to distinguish between marker (M) and sensor (S)
             - three digits for the marker (004).

It is assigned to each marker on request by the IERS bureau (Z. Altamimi,
altamimi at uranus.ign.fr). 

The DOMES numbers for the current IGS sites can be found in the site log files
in the Central Bureau Information System (Internet: igscb.jpl.nasa.gov,
directory: /igscb/station/log).

These DOMES numbers are also used as marker identifications in the SINEX
(Software-INdependent EXchange format) files for the combination of solutions
of different Analysis Centers.

The 4-character station code used e.g. for the RINEX file naming is not suited
for such a unique identifier. Station names stored in the logs and the RINEX
files are often difficult to relate to the specific marker.

In order to help the Analysis Centers and all other users of the IGS tracking
data to unambiguously identify the marker the data are referring to we ask all
the Operational Centers or individual tracking stations

             * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
             *  to include the DOMES number as MARKER NUMBER *
             *      into the RINEX observation files!        *
             * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A short survey of the IGS data files shows that the CIGNET files already
contain the DOMES number. Many other files show a mere copy of the MARKER NAME
in the MARKER NUMBER field. So we hope that this request does not interfere
too much with local requirements.

Please contact the authors of the RINEX converters if you have questions
concerning the inclusion of this information into the RINEX files.

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Werner Gurtner
IGS Central Bureau

PS: May I remind you to always have a DOMES number assigned by IERS
    b e f o r e  you submit the station log or data of a new site to IGS 


[Mailed From: Werner Gurtner <GURTNER at aiub.unibe.ch>]