Bogdan Ney was born on 3 February 1935 in Pinsk. After graduating from high school in Tarnow in 1952, he attended the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, where at the Department of Mining Surveying he received his MSc degree in 1957. At the same faculty he obtained his PhD degree in 1963 and habilitation in 1977. Two years later he was awarded the title of extraordinary professor of technical sciences, and in 1989 – the title of full professor.
His scientific career started in 1957 at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow working as an assistant at the Department of the Descriptive Geometry, which from 1960 he continued in the Department of Geodesy and Surveying Data Processing. In 1969–1974 he served as the deputy director at the Institute of Mining and Engineering Surveying of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow. His scientific interest focused on the problems of errors in surveying measurements, adaptation of some statistical techniques to the needs of surveying and development of surveying calculation methods, and methods and techniques of inventory, implementation and control measurements in engineering and engineering surveying. In 1974 Bogdan Ney was transferred to the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (IGiK) in Warsaw for the position of director of the Institute which he held until 1991. In 1986, he was elected a corresponding member of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), and in 2002 a full member of PAS. As the director and then the head of the System Research Laboratory of IGiK he was further involved in research, providing valuable contributions in the following fields: the use of principles and techniques of aerial and satellite remote sensing in various fields of science and applications; general, organizational and economic problems of surveying and mapping as well as related disciplines; spatial information systems; scientific and scientific-technical policy. In 1991–1997 he continued his educational activity lecturing at the Military University of Technology. The entire scientific achievements of Bogdan Ney consist of more than 300 publications, and many presentations on national and international conferences and seminars. His was the author/coauthor of 24 monographs, 6 textbooks and many other scientific reports. He successfully supervised 10 PhD students.
Bogdan Ney had great achievements in organizational and social activities. He was active in numerous committees, councils, societies and associations. In 1998 the Agriculture-Technical Academy in Olsztyn honoured Bogdan Ney awarding him an honorary doctor degree. Bogdan Ney enjoyed widespread recognition of the scientific community due to his high culture, responsibility in carrying out numerous duties, supporting young scientists, outstanding ability to solve conflict situations and sincere kindness towards all people. He was not only a respected scientist and authority, but also a wonderful man, full of tact and warmth, admired and liked by colleagues. Professor Bogdan Ney, age 85, passed away in Warsaw, on 23 March 2020. He was one of the outstanding surveyors with wide reputation in the scientific community.
Research activities of Polish research groups in a period of 2015–2019 on reference frames and reference networks are reviewed and summarised in this paper. The summary contains the results concerning the implementation of latest resolutions on reference systems of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics and the International Union of Astronomy with special emphasis on the changes in the Astronomical Almanac of the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Warsaw. It further presents the status of the implementation of the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ETRS89) in Poland, monitoring the terrestrial reference frame, operational work of GNSS permanent IGS/EPN stations in Poland, operational work of the laser ranging station in Poland of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), active GNSS station network for the realization of ETRS89 in Poland, validation of recent ETRS89 realization, expressed in ETRF2000 in Poland, and maintenance of the vertical control in Poland (PL-KRON86-NH). Extensive research activities are observed in the field of maintenance and modernization of gravity control not only in Poland, but also in Sweden and in Denmark, as well as establishment of gravity control in Ireland based on absolute gravity survey. The magnetic control in Poland was also regularly maintained. The bibliography of the related works is given in references.
Activities of the Polish research gSDroups concerning gravity field modelling and gravimetry in a period of 2015–2018 are reviewed and summarised in this paper. The summary contains the results of research on the evaluation of GOCE-based global geopotential models (GGMs) in Poland and geoid modelling. Extensive research activities are observed in the field of absolute gravity surveys, in particular for the maintenance of national gravity control in Poland, Sweden, Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland as well as for geodynamics with special emphasis on metrological aspects in absolute gravimetry. Long term gravity variations were monitored in two gravimetric laboratories: the Borowa Gora Geodetic-Geophysical Observatory, and Jozefoslaw Astrogeodetic Observatory with the use of quasi-regular absolute gravity measurements as well as tidal gravimeter records. Gravity series obtained were analysed considering both local and global hydrology effects. Temporal variations of the gravity field were investigated using data from GRACE satellite mission as well as SLR data. Estimated variations of physical heights indicate the need for kinematic realization of reference surface for heights. Also seasonal variability of the atmospheric and water budgets in Poland was a subject of investigation in terms of total water storage using the GLDAS data. The use of repeatable absolute gravity data for calibration/validation of temporal mass variations derived from satellite gravity missions was discussed. Contribution of gravimetric records to seismic studies was investigated. The bibliography of the related works is given in references.