IBGE releases today, the report on the Data Analysis of the Brazilian Network for Continuous Monitoring of the GNSS Systems - 2001-2005. RBMC, the Brazilian Network for Continuous Monitoring of the GNSS Systems (Global Satellite Navigation Systems, similar to the North-American GPS – Global Positioning System, and the Russian GLONASS), is formed by stations which provide information to calculate the most precise coordinates (latitude, longitude and ellipsoid height, as a reference to the geometric model that represents the shape of the Earth). It can provide any user with millimeter-precise locations, being employed in the project, construction and monitoring of major engineering services, such as roads, bridges and dams, and in the demarcation of Indian lands, quilombolas and environment protection areas, among others, besides helping in the monitoring of vehicles. 

The publication makes available indicators and analyses aimed at the evaluation of data quality and of station performance in the period 2001-2005. Considering the big number of applications of the RBMC, it is important to provide information so as to enable users to evaluate the performance of the network and also make use of the data in the planning of  activities. The report is available at ftp://geoftp.ibge.gov.br/metodos_e_outros_documentos_de_referencia/outros_documentos_técnicos/rbmc/todos os arquivos. 

In 1966, IBGE started the implementation and operation of RBMC, the first one of this kind in South America, with the installation of stations in Curitiba (PR) and Presidente Prudente (SP), and the integration of Fortaleza (CE) and Brasília (DF) stations. The RBMC stations receive artificial satellite signals with high precision, through the interconnection of networks from other countries, helping improve the quality of the systems involved (reference systems, satellite systems, user systems, among others). RBMC had 24 stations in 24 stations installed and two others to be integrated in the end of 2005. There are 85 stations currently installed, six at the end of the installation and testing stage and two at the project and installation stage. 

The information collected daily by RBMC allow the calculation of coordinates from several points in the national territory. In the case of recent earthquakes, such as those which occurred in Chile last year and in March this year in Japan, for example, it was possible to detect displacements of up to three meters through similar stations spread over these countries and surrounding areas. RBMC is the connection between the Geodetic Brazilian System (SGB) and similar international networks. With the growing use of positioning techniques based on Global Navigation Satellite Systems, its role in the definition and occupation of the soil becomes more relevant every day.

The date and reports of all stations are available at www.ibge.gov.br/home/geociencias/download/tela_inicial.php?tipo=8 and on the FTP server ftp://geoftp.ibge.gov.br/RBMC/. These data are organized into files resulting from daily observations, always related to the immediately previous day. It is also possible to obtain information at twitter @IBGE_RBMC.