National advice activities
Our research divisions and centres at DTU Space are all offering Scientific advice towards the ministries and public administration in Denmark and Greenland. Our advice is research based. The Agency for Data Supply and Efficiency (SDFE), the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Defense are among our essential partners. We also provide advice to, among others, the Arctic Council, DMI and GEUS and to the private sector.
SDFE
The collaboration with SDFE is centered on the strategic development of Geodesy including research and advice on reference systems, geoids and near-real time precise positioning.
The activities are organized in three pillars:
Geodesy in Denmark, Positioning and Green Transition and Geodetic Infrastructure and Climate in Greenland. I
In addition, DTU Space supports SDFE developing and maintaining two Geodetic infrastructures: Greenland GPS Network (GNET) used to determine land movements in response to the melting of the Ice Cap and the Testbed in Aarhus for Precision Positioning and Autonomous Systems (TAPAS) used to develop real time accurate positioning solutions supporting the development of smart cities, IoT, autonomy & mobility.
Scientific advice towards SDFE is anchored in the Division of Geodesy and Earth Observation.
Danish Defence
We work closely with the Danish Defence in the Arctic. Our cooperation includes advice related to satellite equipment, the operation of GPS stations at the Thule base, and rescue. In addition, we work with the Danish Defence and police authorities on technologies related to national security issues.
The consultancy is primarily placed in the Security DTU centre and the Division of Geomagnetism and Geospace.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
We advise the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant authorities in the Kingdom of Denmark on issues regarding maritime delimitation and continental shelf determination and related issues of sovereignty related to Denmark and the Faroe Islands and Greenland (the Kingdom of Denmark). We also contribute knowledge to the UN body in this field, UNCLOS.
The consultancy is primarily placed in the Division of Geomagnetism and Geospace.
Research based advice main topics:
Precise positioning and GNSS:
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are used to develop the infrastructure and the solutions for real-time precise positioning.
We have developed the TAPAS RTK network in Aarhus, Denmark, that allow to test applications for autonomy, mobility in a real environment. The precision of a GNSS receiver is down to 1 cm. Sensor integration and GNSS technologies are used to navigate drones and robots precisely under challenging GNSS and environmental conditions.
The Division of Geodesy and Earth Observation is providing consultancy and advice within precise positioning and GNSS.
Gravity fields and geoids:
Gravity data are used to determine the geoid or the reference surface. DTU Space utilizes space observed gravity fields and executes gravity surveys on land, from the air and on the sea.
The geoids are computed from these data and changes in the gravity fields in time are observed. We are working internationally and have provided airborne missions in for example Nepal, Namibia, Indonesia and Uganda. Our main activity is in Denmark and Greenland. DTU Space build capacity at international organizations within gravity fields and geoids.
The Division of Geodesy and Earth Observation is offering advice and services within gravity fields and geoids.
Climate and the Polar regions:
We advise ministries, authorities (including SDFE) and the Danish Defence on the development of key climatic parameters such as ice mass balance, sea ice characteristics and extend, mean sea level, maritime demarcation and rescue and navigation at sea in the Arctic. The Greenland GPS Network (GNET) is utilized to assess the melting of the Greenlandic ice cap.
DTU Space contribute to and are co-authors of the sixth assessment of global climate change from the UN's climate panel IPCC, published in 2021. We provide data from the GNET GNSS network in Greenland to observe changes in the melting of the land ice and the associated contribution to mean sea levels in the world's oceans.
Activities are placed in the Division of Geodesy and Earth Observation, the Division of Microwaves and Remote Sensing, and the Security DTU centre.
Digital infrastructure in Greenland:
We cooperate with the Arctic Council on the development of digital infrastructure (connectivity).
The consultancy is primarily located in the Division of Geomagnetism and Geospace.
Space safety and and situational awareness:
Our advice includes civil security and space security. We cover the areas of space weather, waste in space, satellites, radiation from space and the distribution of sea ice. We work closely with relevant Danish authorities in the area and international institutions to secure Denmark in the best possible way against harmful incidents within these areas.
The consultancy is mainly located in the Division of Geomagnetism and Geospace, and the Division of Microwaves and Remote Sensing.
Maritime delimitation and continental shelf determination
We cooperate with and advise the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant authorities in the Kingdom of Denmark.
The consultancy is mainly located in the Division of Geomagnetism and Geospace.
Earth's magnetic field
DTU Space provides data and advice regarding national and international models of the Earth's magnetic field and their use.
The consultancy and advice is mainly placed in the Division of Geomagnetism and Geospace.