Project MERIT has three principal objectives: (1) To foster the development of new techniques for the measurement of the variations in the rate and axis of rotation of the Earth. These variations give rise to non-uniformities in the scale of universal time (UT) and to a quasi-cyclic revolution of the pole of rotation around the pole of figure of the Earth. (2) To obtain precise data on earth-rotation in order to improve our knowledge and understanding of the causes and effects of these

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... s in the rotation of the Earth. Analyses of earth-rotation data provide information about the properties of the interior of the Earth and about dynamical processes in the oceans and atmosphere as well as in the solid Earth. (3) To make recommendations on the observational basis and organisational arrangements for future international services in earth-rotation. These services are of great importance in navigation and surveying, and especially in geodesy and space navigation when the highest-possible precision is required. The programme of activities includes special periods for intensive observation and opportunities for the participating scientists to meet to discuss the techniques of observation, data reduction and 275 E. M. Gaposchkin and B. Kotaczek (eds.j, Reference Coordinate Systems for Earth Dynamics,[275][276]