Technical Issues and Recommendations Related to the Installation of Continuous GPS Stations at Tide Gauges

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Abstract
Geodesists around the world have begun installing continuous GPS (CGPS) stations at tide gauges in order to determine the exact position of these tide gauges and, in particular, the vertical velocity of the land or the seafloor underlying each tide gauge. The goal is to make these measurements in a well-defined global reference frame. The scientific applications of these measurements include the calibration of satellite altimeters and the removal of crustal motion signals from long time series of sea level change. In this article we focus on the technical issues associated with this agenda, including site selection, instrumentation, monumentation, ancillary measurements, and the tide gauge leveling program. There is no universally best approach to building CGPS stations at tide gauges. Therefore we emphasize the various trade-offs that typically occur, and give general recommendations and rules of thumb based on recent installations and experience. Additional information can be found at the CGPS@TG website.