Modernization of Palestine’s National Geodetic Reference Frame through PAL-GRF2023

Modernization of Palestine’s National Geodetic Reference Frame through PAL-GRF2023 | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Modernization of Palestine’s National Geodetic Reference Frame through PAL-GRF2023 Ghadi Younis, Mutaz Qafisheh, Saed Ideas, Omar Abu Sharar, Mohamad Maraheel This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9162639/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Accurate spatial data, which encompasses precise mapping, effective land management, and robust Geographic Information Systems (GIS), is essential for national development. Acknowledging this necessity, the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA) launched a significant initiative to create a contemporary geodetic framework. The existing geodetic networks in Palestine are remnants from the British Mandate period, rendering them severely outdated and insufficient for the current requirements of spatial data. This shortcoming obstructs the generation of precise cadastral and topographic maps and hampers the smooth integration of spatial information into critical land information systems. The "Development of the Palestinian National Geodetic Framework (PAL-GRF)" project entailed the establishment of 10 new local stations throughout the West Bank, each equipped with forced centering steel pillars. These stations were connected with fiducial stations from the International GNSS Service (IGS) and ITRF2020 networks to guarantee global consistency. Engineers from the Palestinian Land Authority performed extensive GNSS observations, with each station being observed simultaneously for a minimum of 8 hours. All data underwent rigorous processing utilizing the Bernese GNSS Software (BSW52) and products from the CODE analysis center. The project successfully established precise final coordinates for all PAL-GRF2023 network stations within the ITRF2020 system at epoch 2023.50. This includes comprehensive Cartesian and ellipsoidal coordinates as well as velocity components for each station. Additionally, the project derived crucial datum transformation parameters to facilitate seamless conversion between the new PAL-GRF, the historical PAL1923, and the current CORS-Network coordinate systems. This newly established framework offers a dependable and accurate basis for all forthcoming geospatial endeavors in Palestine. Pal-GRF2023 Pal1923 Reference Frames ITRF Datum Transformations Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 17 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 29 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 20 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 17 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 12 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 12 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9162639","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":634051376,"identity":"6e150fc0-6f6f-42f1-a121-e1d274b357ed","order_by":0,"name":"Ghadi Younis","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAApUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSBKqICzidZyhmQtjG2kaJGPbn544+G8O3kGB5gP3uYhRovhnWPGFonbnhUbHGBLtiZOy4wEM4nEbYcTNxzgMZMmUkv6N4nEOSAt/N+I0yIvkQO0pQFsCxtxWgwkcootEo49K5Y8zGZsOYcoW2akb7z5o+ZOHt9xYNC9IcqWA2DqQAIDMzHKwbY0wLSMglEwCkbBKMAFAP69Ne6WhCVkAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Palestine Polytechnic University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ghadi","middleName":"","lastName":"Younis","suffix":""},{"id":634051377,"identity":"bc765d36-b521-4dc8-855e-c502aac536d0","order_by":1,"name":"Mutaz Qafisheh","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Palestine Polytechnic University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mutaz","middleName":"","lastName":"Qafisheh","suffix":""},{"id":634051383,"identity":"923a731d-bcda-473e-b957-c5cc872535dc","order_by":2,"name":"Saed Ideas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Palestinian Land Authority - PLA","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Saed","middleName":"","lastName":"Ideas","suffix":""},{"id":634051389,"identity":"1c14b619-44bc-46ff-bbcf-64dac512a12c","order_by":3,"name":"Omar Abu Sharar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Palestinian Land Authority - PLA","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Omar","middleName":"Abu","lastName":"Sharar","suffix":""},{"id":634051394,"identity":"c94df826-dc7c-49e2-855d-17efbb19561c","order_by":4,"name":"Mohamad Maraheel","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Palestinian Land Authority - PLA","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mohamad","middleName":"","lastName":"Maraheel","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-18 19:39:00","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9162639/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9162639/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":108680465,"identity":"97e21c58-9ea5-487f-b395-8602daeaa0eb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-07 09:13:21","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":495121,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PaperPALGRF2023refFinalrev2mod4.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9162639/v1_covered_506d00f5-2974-430d-80e8-a4cb02c5f13f.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Modernization of Palestine’s National Geodetic Reference Frame through PAL-GRF2023","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-applied-sciences","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Applied Sciences](https://link.springer.com/journal/42452)","snPcode":"42452","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/42452/3","title":"Discover Applied Sciences","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Pal-GRF2023, Pal1923, Reference Frames, ITRF, Datum Transformations","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9162639/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9162639/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAccurate spatial data, which encompasses precise mapping, effective land management, and robust Geographic Information Systems (GIS), is essential for national development. Acknowledging this necessity, the Palestinian Land Authority (PLA) launched a significant initiative to create a contemporary geodetic framework. The existing geodetic networks in Palestine are remnants from the British Mandate period, rendering them severely outdated and insufficient for the current requirements of spatial data. This shortcoming obstructs the generation of precise cadastral and topographic maps and hampers the smooth integration of spatial information into critical land information systems. The \"Development of the Palestinian National Geodetic Framework (PAL-GRF)\" project entailed the establishment of 10 new local stations throughout the West Bank, each equipped with forced centering steel pillars. These stations were connected with fiducial stations from the International GNSS Service (IGS) and ITRF2020 networks to guarantee global consistency. 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