| Bytes |
Description |
Example |
| 1-7 |
ILRS Satellite Identification Number - 7 digit number based on COSPAR ID, See Explanation |
'7603901' |
| 8-9 |
Year of Century - 2 digits with leading zero fill |
'09' |
| 10-12 |
Day of Year - 3 digits with leading blank fill |
' 34' |
| 13-24 |
Time of Day - from midnight GMT with a .1 microsecond granularity and
leading blank fill |
' 36005000000' |
| 25-28 |
Crustal Dynamics
Project Pad ID- a 4-digit monument identification |
'7105' |
| 29-30 |
Crustal Dynamics Project 2-digit system number |
'07' |
| 31-32 |
Crustal Dynamics Project 2-digit occupancy sequence number |
'24' |
| 33-39 |
Azimuth - the geometric or true azimuth angle with a .1 millidegree
granularity and leading blank fill |
' 987500' |
| 40-45 |
Elevation - the geometric or true elevation angle with a .1 millidegree
granularity and leading blank fill |
'292500' |
| 46-57 |
Laser Range - in units of two way time with a 1 picosecond
granularity and leading blank fill |
' 52035998000' |
| 58-64 |
Pass RMS from the mean of raw range values minus the
trend function, for accepted ranges (two-way value in picoseconds). |
' 66' |
| 65-68 |
Wavelength of the laser with leading blank fill
The user of the data should interpret the value given as follows:
3000 - 9999: units are 0.1 nanometer
1000 - 2999: units are 1.0 nanometer
For the station generating the data, the rule is:
Wavelength in rate 0.3000 - 0.9999 microns: unit 0.1 nanometer
Wavelength in rate 1.000 - 2.999 microns: unit 1.0 nanometer |
'5321' |
| 69-73 |
Surface Pressure - .1 millibar granularity with leading blank fill |
'10135' |
| 74-77 |
Surface Temperature - .1 degree Kelvin granularity with leading
blank fill |
'2905' |
| 78-80 |
Relative Humidity at Surface - percentage with leading blank fill |
' 55' |
| 81-85 |
Tropospheric refraction correction - a round trip refraction
correction with a 1 picosecond granularity and leading blank fill |
'33956' |
| 86-91 |
Center of Mass Correction - a round trip correction with a
1 picosecond granularity and leading blank fill |
' 1601' |
| 92-96 |
Receive Amplitude - a positive linear scale value with leading blank fill |
' 700' |
| 97-104 |
Applied System Delay - the two way system delay applied in the
current record with a 1 picosecond granularity and leading blank fill |
' 95942' |
| 105-110 |
Calibration Delay Shift - a measure of two way calibration stability
with a 1 picosecond granularity and leading blank fill. |
' 33' |
| 111-114 |
Root Mean Square (RMS) of raw system delay values from
the mean. Two-way value in picoseconds. If pre- and post- pass calibrations are made, use
the mean of the two RMS values, or the RMS of the combined data set. |
' 40' |
| 115 |
Normal Point Window Indicator - indicates whether or not
the
record represents a normal point and the time span of the normal point
0: not a normal point
1: 5-second normal point (GFZ-1)
2: LLR normal point
3: 15-second normal point (TOPEX)
4: 20-second normal point
5: 30-second normal point
6: 1-minute normal point
7: 2-minute normal point (LAGEOS)
8: 3-minute normal point
9: 5-minute normal point (ETALON) |
'0' |
| 116-119 |
Number of raw ranges compressed into normal point leading blank fill |
' ' |
| 120 |
Epoch Event - indicates the time event reference.
Currently, only 1 and 2 are used for laser ranging data.
0 = Ground receive time
1 = Satellite transmit time (standard for LAGEOS)
2 = Ground transmit time
3 = Satellite receive time |
'1' |
| 121 |
Epoch Time Scale - indicates the time scale reference.
Other flags may appear for historical data.
3 = UTC (USNO)
4 = UTC (GPS)
7 = UTC (BIH) |
'3' |
| 122 |
Angle Origin Indicator - source of angle values.
0 = Unknown (converted from MERIT I)
1 = Computed (from range)
2 = Command (predicts and operator inputs)
3 = Measured (calibrated instrument readings) |
'3' |
| 123 |
Tropospheric Refraction Correction Indicator
0 = Data has been corrected using the Marini-Murray formula
1 = Data has not been corrected |
'0' |
| 124 |
Center of Mass Correction Application Indicator
0 = Applied
1 = Not applied |
'0' |
| 125 |
Receive Amplitude Correction Indicator
0 = Data has been receive amplitude corrected
1 = Data has not been receive amplitude corrected |
'1' |
| 126 |
System calibration method and delay shift indicator.
Indicates the type of calibration and the type of calibration shift given in columns
105-110
|
Pre- to Post-Pass
Calibration Shift |
Minimum to Maximum
Calibration Shift |
| External cal |
0 |
5 |
| Internal cal |
1 |
6 |
| Burst cal |
2 |
7 |
| Some other cal |
3 |
8 |
| Not used |
4 |
9 |
|
'0' |
| 127 |
System CHange indicator (SCH). A flag to increment for
every major change to the system (hardware or software). After the value '9' return to
'0', and then continue incrementing. The station and data centers should keep a log in a
standard format of the value used, the date of the change, and a description of the
change. |
'0' |
| 128 |
System Configuration Indicator (SCI). A flag used to
indicate alternative modes of operation for a system (e.g., choice of alternative timers
or detectors, or use of a different mode of operation for high satellites). Each value of
the flag indicates a particular configuration, which is described in a log file held at
the station and at the data centers. If only a single configuration is used then use a
fixed value. If a new configuration is introduced then use the next higher flag value. If
value exceeds '9' then return to '0', overwriting a previous configuration flag (it is not
likely that a station will have 10 current possible configurations). |
'1' |
| 129 |
Format Revision Number Indicator - indicates the version
of the MERIT II format for the current record. Data prior
to MERIT II that is converted into the MERIT II format
will have a revision number of '0'. |
'3' |
| 130 |
Release Flag Indicator - indicates when this record first
appeared on a release tape. Cooperating stations which
send release tapes to the CDDIS will use a numbering
scheme beginning with '1'. Release tapes from the CDDIS
will have a labelling scheme beginning with 'A'.
Non-operational engineering data will have a release flag of
'Z'. Data released prior to the MERIT II implementation will
have a release flag of '0'. |
'A' |
1) A field should be blank if a value does not apply or if the value is unknown.
2) All fields should have trailing '0' fill when the accuracy of the field value is less
than the accuracy of the format.
3) The range and all correction fields are in two way time units of picoseconds for both
accuracy and consistency.
4) All correction field values, except the center of mass, are represented such that they
would be subtracted from the laser range when applied. The center of mass value is
represented such that it would be added to the laser range when applied.
5) To convert the laser range field from two way time in picoseconds to one way distance
in meters: