Geodesy and Geodynamics – Research projects

Ongoing projects

  • BalMarGrav

    BalMarGrav project aims to harmonize gravity data in the South and East Baltic Sea regions. The project re-investigates old gravity measurements at sea and executes new marine measurements.

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  • Coordinates

    The core tasks of the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) include creating and maintaining coordinate systems in Finland. The Coordinates project focuses on maintaining and developing infrastructures related to coordinates, as well as international connections. The project includes, for example, the centering and measurements of FinnRef stations as well as the determination of coordinates. The project is related to the National Land Survey's statutory duties to ensure the foundation of positioning and the production of basic spatial data.

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  • FLEX-EPOS - Flexible instrument network

    We will create a national pool of geophysical instruments and multi-disciplinary geophysical superstations to solve fundamental scientific questions in seismology, geomagnetism and geodesy.

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  • GEMOP: Galileo and EGNOS Monitoring Of Performances by Member States

    The GEMOP project monitors the performance of the Galileo and EGNOS positioning systems. The project is funded by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), and there are 26 research institutes involved in the consortium. Finnish Geospatial Research Institute provides satellite positioning data from Finland and computes performance indicators related to the Galileo satellite availability and positioning accuracy in ranging domain.

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  • Gravity and Geoid

    The Gravity and Geoid project maintains and develops the geoid model, the current gravity network as well as the related infrastructure. In addition, we participate in international working groups. The project is related to the statutory duties of National Land Survey to ensure the foundation of positioning and the production of basic spatial data.

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  • Height

    The Department of Geodesy and Geodynamics maintains and develops Finland's elevation systems and studies the accuracy and reliability of conversion methods between elevation systems. The project is related to the National Land Survey's statutory duties to take care of the foundation of positioning and the production of basic spatial data.

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  • Location Innovation Hub LIH

    The Location Innovation Hub (LIH) is a centre of excellence in location information coordinated by the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute. Our services are produced in conjunction with a partner network.

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  • Metrology

    The Metrology project maintains and develops the operations of national standards laboratories. There are two areas of responsibility: length measurements in geodesy and acceleration of free fall. The operations are based on legislation and have international recognition through the CIPM MRA. Operations are guided by a quality management system in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025 standard. In addition to research in the field, the Department of Geodesy and Geodynamics performs calibrations for customers.

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  • Optimization of the Levelling Network and Geoid Models for Future Height Systems (TarGeOp)

    In this project, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the focus is on optimizing the levelling network and studying how the geoid changes due to land uplift. The project aims to address the following issues:

    • How can the new levelling network along roadways be optimized?
    • By how much will the length of the levelling network along roadways increase compared to the current network, while ensuring enough common points for determining land uplift and transformations?
    • How does the geoid change during land uplift?

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  • Posiva

    The Finnish Geodetic Institute studies crustal deformations at the candidate sites for final disposal of spent nuclear fuel.

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  • Space Geodesy

    The Space Geodesy project uses geodesy and space technology methods to measure the shape, position, gravitational field and movements of the Earth. The methods used are based on the use of satellites and other space equipment and enabling highly accurate spatial data and motion measurements. The measurement techniques used include satellite laser (SLR), very long-range interferometry (VLBI) and GNSS.

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  • Space Surveillance

    The Space Surveillance project focuses on representing Finland's interests in the detection and mitigation of threats posed by natural and human-made objects that endanger both Earth and space infrastructure.

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  • Arctic Geoinvest CAGI

    In the project Arctic Geoinvest, the aim is to create an innovation and development environment that enhances the use of arctic geoinnovations and their technical applications in the businesses. The focus research areas are arctic geosciences in the innovation centre.

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  • Arctic-PNT

    This project will identify and analyse the role of Aurora SNOWBOX as a key infrastructure in the Nordic Hub of the Arctic PNT Innovation Platform, especially with regards to positioning and navigation needs for autonomous driving in Arctic conditions.

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  • Carte du Ciel (ESA CduC)

    In the project, photographic plates obtained during the Carte du Ciel -project will be digitised and the positions of the stars will be remeasured.

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  • Characterization of objects in near-Earth space using the Metsähovi satellite laser ranging system (MATINE SLR)

    This project studies the capabilities of active satellite laser ranging (SLR) and passive optical (photometric) observations for the characterization of objects orbiting near the Earth, as well as the possible synergies obtained by combining these two methods.

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  • ESA Dragon 3 GOCE geoid

    Case study on heterogeneous geoid/quasigeoid based on space borne and terrestrial data combination with special consideration of GOCE mission data impact

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  • ESRIUM

    ESRIUM is a multi-national project with the common goal to set up a service to foster greener and smarter road usage, road maintenance, and to increase road safety. The key innovation will be formed by a homogeneous, accurate and recent digital map of road surface damage and road wear. ESRIUM’s core proposition is a data platform, which hosts highly detailed EGNSS-referenced map data of road damage and associated safety risks at centimeter-level resolution. Further addressed as “road wear map”, it will contain unique information, which is of value to multiple stakeholders: road operators will be able to lower the road maintenance effort by optimal planning.

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  • FEGNOS

    The main objective of FEGNOS research project is to measure the availability, continuity and accuracy of GPS v. GPS+EGNOS.

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  • From quasars to geodesy (NT-VGOS)

    Novel Techniques for the VLBI Global Observing System (NT-VGOS) is a consortium of the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute and Aalto University Metsähovi Radio Observatory funded by the Academy of Finland.

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  • Geodetic observing systems

    Works and participations related to international organizations (like GGOS), and all such works related to the Metsähovi infrastructure which do not belong to any other projects.

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  • GeoVaPaa

    The objective of GeoVaPaa project is to study how the resolution and accuracy of the gravity data effects the accuracy of the geoid model in Finland and whether the current gravity data fulfils the resolution and the accuracy requirements for the future geoid model.

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  • GNSS signal quality monitoring in Finland (FinSig)

    FinSig will use the Finnish National GNSS network ‘FinnRef’ in first-hand monitoring of the status of GNSS signal quality over Finland. A service architecture design will be developed and demonstrated, including a list of hardware, software, inter-modular communication, and system integration needs.

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  • KaRef

    In Finland, there are free nationwide reference systems, EUREF-FIN coordinate system, N2000 height system and FOGN gravity system. On top of these there is a national geoid model FIN2005N00 that is a transformation surface between EUREF-FIN and N2000 heights. In this project, we research some aspects that support decision making when future reference systems are to be created.

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  • LYSTRA - Awareness and activities in the World Natural Heritage Site High Coast and Kvarken Archipelago

    The Lystra project will develop joint interpretation and tools to convey knowledge and information about the World Heritage Site High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago in Sweden and Finland. The main goal is to make sure the information includes the latest scientific findings, is easily accessible, engaging and is telling the story of the whole World Heritage Site in a uniform and excellent way in both countries.

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  • Planetary spectrometry

    Scattering, absorption, and emission of electromagnetic radiation occurs in practically all systems of matter and radiation. The measurement, observation, and theoretical modeling of this interaction provides information about the system’s physical and chemical properties down to length scales of a fraction of the wavelength.

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  • REASON

    Satellite navigation (GNSS) signals provide accurate and continuous position, navigation, and timing (PNT) services to citizens. These services are necessary to critical infrastructures, such as accurate timing for stock market, electricity transmission, banking and security information systems, reliable positioning for aviation, wireless communications, accurate localization for emergency (112) personnel and logistic chains, and transport.

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  • Renewal of SLR

    A new SLR system (telescope, laser unit, auxiliary equipments) will be purchased and an operational work will be started.

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  • Renewal of VLBI

    Based on the Metsähovi special funding, a new radio telescope and auxiliary equipments are purchased to fulfill requirements for continuous geodetic VLBI observations.

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  • Support for the Galileo Reference Centre

    For the integrated Galileo performance monitoring and analysis activity, the consortium makes a coordinated effort to measure the Signal in Space (SiS) of individual Galileo satellites at Radio Frequency (RF) level using a 25m radio-telescope operated by ASTRON and in parallel using a 25m radio-telescope operated by OSO.

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  • Support Grant for the Galileo Reference Centre

    This project is a coordinated effort among four partners from three EU members states (Netherlands, Sweden and Finland). The consortium provides GRC access to a range of facilities and expertise at the member state level for Galileo service performance monitoring.

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  • VLBI Research

    We research how to improve data transfer, near-real time data analysis and modelling in geodetic VLBI applications.

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