VieVS: Vienna OPT files

Context

Space geodetic technigue: Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI)

Corresponding analysis software: Vienna VLBI and Satellite Software (VieVS)

This dataset contains "OPT files" for analysis of VLBI sessions in VieVS software package.

The OPT files provide session-specific parameterization and analysis options chosen by the Analysis Group of the Vienna Center for VLBI for analysis of 24-hour sessions and, in part, Intensive sessions, which are provided by the Data Centers of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS).

The files have been created and maintained over many years by different members of the Vienna Center for VLBI. Consequently, some older files may differ in formatting and in the amount of data they contain.

Covered time span

This release contains OPT files for IVS sessions from 1979 through June 30, 2026.

Technical details

The dataset is organised in the VIENNA directory (../VIEVS/VLBI_OPT/VIENNA). The OPT filenames follow the current IVS master file format version 2.0 naming convention for all sessions. In addition, until 2022 the OPT files are provided with the IVS master file format version 1 naming convention.

The IVS master file format version 2.0 naming convention defines the session name with the corresponding VLBI session date in the format YYYYMMDD, followed by the session identifier and the extension .OPT .

The OPT files are plain-text files and can therefore be opened with any text editor. 

Authors

The files were created by present and former members of the Vienna Center for VLBI, a cooperation between TU Wien and the Austrian Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying (BEV).

Reuse information

Users should select the OPT file corresponding to the VLBI session they wish to analyse.

If an error is discovered in an OPT file, please contact the administrators of the VieVS-VLBI_OPT repository.

When publishing results based on these OPT files, users are requested to give credit to the Vienna Center for VLBI members by citing the DOI of the OPT-file release.