Structure and Activity

The main research priorities of the Department of Geodesy are focused on towards exploring the Earth as a planet, its physical fields and phenomena – with emphasis on tectonic movements and their associated risky processes, global changes, rotation and Earth’s position in space. Using the modern methods of satellite, physical and mathematical geodesy, the main research in the Department is oriented to continental and national geodetic networks, establishing, updating and maintaining modern national and European reference, height and gravity systems.

The basic scientific priorities of Department Geodesy are:

• participation in the international scientific collaboration for studying the shape and sizes of the Earth as a planet, its orientation in space and its external gravity field;
• performing fundamental and applied scientific research related to the implementing, updating and using the national reference and coordinate systems as a part of the European and world systems with consideration of the economic and social needs of the country;
• integrating of the results from geodetic investigations with the results from other Earth sciences for the study of local, regional and global deformation processes and especially of the processes related with hazardous geodynamic phenomena (earthquakes, landslides, etc.);
• developing the geodetic aspects of systems for monitoring and preventing natural and technogenic hazards and protection of the environment;
• developing a concept for a national data base for geodetic information.

The scientific research carried out in the Department Geodesy has fundamental and applied character and at the same time is directed to solving priority national tasks.

In accordance with Act No 1 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria No 6/18.01.2005 for the distribution of the tasks on geodesy and cartography of national importance, it is imposed on BAS, via the Department Geodesy, to:

• participate in the processing and analyses of the results from the measurement of the State GPS network and State Leveling of the I and II class;
  participate in the establishment and maintenance of the basic gravimetric network for geodetic purposes;
• perform and maintain the operation of the tide gauge stations and make the measurements of the Black Sea level.

The scientific-research, scientific-applied and experimental works for ensuring the performance of the tasks related to geodesy and cartography of national importance are carried out in collaboration the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy – the Faculty of Geodesy, the Military Geographic Service of Ministry of Defense and the Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre.

The Plana Geodetic Observatory (GO), at a distance of about 30 km from Sofia, is in operational since 1983. The observatory is equipped with unique space and astro-geodetic instruments. Seismic and accelerometric stations were installed in 2003/2004. In this way the Plana GO has been transformed into an experimental scientific center of Earth sciences.