The Australian mixed-mode observing program

Abstract

Global geodetic VLBI is upgrading to its next-generation observing system, VGOS. This upgrade has turned out to be a process over multiple years, until VGOS reaches its full capabilities with the envisaged continuous observations. Until then, for the Australian stations, the upgrade means ceasing their legacy S/X observations, leaving a large gap in the global network as well as in the station time series. The Australian mixed-mode observing program is a series of sessions where the VGOS stations in Hobart and Katherine observe legacy S/X VLBI together with other stations in the region. This paper describes the technical details of these observations and their processing strategies and discusses their suitability for geodetic results by comparison with those of standard legacy S/X sessions. The presented mixed-mode sessions allow a continuation of the station time series, a benefit for the stations themselves as well as for future realisations of the terrestrial and celestial reference frames. A novel mode of observing is introduced and tested. The results are promising and it is suggested for acceptance into standard legacy S/X IVS observations, overcoming current gaps in the network due to VGOS upgrades and preventing a worsening of global results otherwise.