S02-04: Pacific Surveying

Understanding where we are and where things are in relation to us has always been important.  Anyone who has ever used a smartphone app to locate themselves or search for driving directions can appreciate how widespread this technology has become, to the point that it is even taken for granted. ‘Where’ is now at everyone’s fingertips. On Earth’s dynamic surface, however, ‘where’ we are is constantly changing. We understand this through Geodesy, the scientific discipline that enables us to define the shape of Earth, how it changes over time, and our position on Earth. Such positioning information is needed to analyse and solve social, economic and environmental challenges and to support sustainable development.