On ionosphere-delay processing methods for single-frequency precise-point positioning

In single-frequency precise-point positioning of a satellite,ionosphere delay is one of the most important factors impacting the accuracy. Because of the instability of the ionosphere and uncertainty of its physical properties, the positioning accuracy is seriously limited when using a precision-limited model for correction. In order to reduce the error, we propose to introduce some ionosphere parameter for real-time ionosphere-delay estimation by applying various mapping functions. Through calculation with data from the IGS（ International GPS Service） tracking station and comparison among results of using several different models and mapping functions, the feasibility and effectiveness of the new method are verified.

Novel adaptive Hatch filter to mitigate the effects of ionosphere and multipath on LAAS

It has been proven that carrier smoothing and differential global positioning system （DGPS） are effective to improve the accuracy of pseudorange by reducing the noise in it and eliminating almost all the common mode errors between the ground station and user. However, another issue coming with local area augmentation system （LAAS） is how to find an adaptive smoothing window width to minimize the error on account of ionosphere delay and multipath. Based on the errors analysis in carrier smoothing process, a novel algorithm is formulated to design adaptive Hatch filter whose smoothing window width flexibly varies with the characteristic of ionosphere delay and multipath in the differential carrier smoothing process. By conducting the simulation in LAAS and after compared with traditional Hatch filers, it reveals that not only the accuracy of differential correction, but also the accuracy and the robustness of positioning results are significantly improved by using the designed adaptive Hatch filter.

Research on Error Analysis and Correction Technique of Atmospheric Refraction for InSAR Measurement with Distributed Satellites

SAR interferometry with distributed satellites is a technique based on the exploitation of the interference pattern of two SAR images acquired synchronously. The interferogram contains geometric, atmospheric, topographic and land defomation. This paper focuses on atmospheric effects on SAR interferometry, which shows theoretically that the relationship among ionosphere TEC and troposphere parameters such as temperature, relative humitdity and pressure with respect to slant rang changes. An atmospheric correction method is given in the end.

Impact of ionospheric irregularity on SBAS integrity:spatial threat modeling and improvement

The ionosphere, as the largest and least predictable error source, its behavior cannot be observed at all places simultaneously. The confidence bound, called the grid ionospheric vertical error(GIVE), can only be determined with the aid of a threat model which is used to restrict the expected ionospheric behavior. However, the spatial threat model at present widespread used, which is based on fit radius and relative centroid metric(RCM), is too conservative or the resulting GIVEs will be too large and will reduce the availability of satellite-based augmentation system(SBAS). In this paper, layered two-dimensional parameters, the vertical direction double RCMs, are introduced based on the spatial variability of the ionosphere. Comparing with the traditional threat model, the experimental results show that the user ionospheric vertical error(UIVE) average reduction rate reaches 16%. And the 95% protection level of conterminous United States(CONUS) is 28%, even under disturbed days, which reaches about 5% reduction rates.The results show that the system service performance has been improved better.

Quasi-4-dimension ionospheric modeling and its application in PPP

Ionospheric delay modeling is not only important for Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)based space weather study and monitoring,but also an efficient tool to speed up the convergence time of Precise Point Positioning(PPP).In this study,a novel model,denoted as Quasi-4-Dimension Ionospheric Modeling(Q4DIM)is proposed for wide-area high precision ionospheric delay correction.In Q4DIM,the Line Of Sight(LOS)ionospheric delays from a GNSS station network are divided into different clusters according to not only the location of latitude and longitude,but also satellite elevation and azimuth.Both Global Ionosphere Map(GIM)and Slant Ionospheric Delay(SID)models that are traditionally used for wide-area and regional ionospheric delay modeling,respectively,can be regarded as the special cases of Q4DIM by defining proper grids in latitude,longitude,elevation,and azimuth.Thus,Q4DIM presents a resilient model that is capable for both wide-area coverage and high precision.Four different sets of clusters are defined to illustrate the properties of Q4DIM based on 200 EUREF Permanent Network(EPN)stations.The results indicate that Q4DIM is compatible with the GIM products.Moreover,it is proved that by inducting the elevation and azimuth angle dependent residuals,the precision of the 2-dimensional GIM-like model,i.e.,Q4DIM 2-Dimensional(Q4DIM-2D),is improved from around 1.5 Total Electron Content Units(TECU)to better than 0.5 TECU.In addition,treating Q4DIM as a 4-dimensional matrix in latitude,longitude,elevation,and azimuth,whose sparsity is less than 5%,can result in its feasibility in a bandwidth-sensitive applications,e.g.,satellite-based Precising Point Positioning Real-Time Kinematic(PPP-RTK)service.Finally,the advantages of Q4DIM in PPP over the 2-dimensional models are demonstrated with the one month's data from 30 EPN stations in both high solar activity year 2014 and low solar activity year 2020.

GNSS vulnerabilities:simulation,verification,and mitigation platform design

This paper introduces the design and construction of global navigation satellite systems(GNSS)vulnerability simulation,verification,and mitigation platform.The platform contains five modules:simulation of the signal-in-space environment,simulation of the vulnerabilities in the space segment,signal quality monitoring and data processing,vulnerability assessment and validation,and integrated control.It provides a set of integrated simulations of different types of interference in the GNSS signal propagation domain,including electromagnetic interference,atmospheric disturbances,multipath,and interference in the inter-satellite link.This paper focuses on the design of the main system modules and testing through an experimental analysis.The results demonstrate both the effectiveness and realism of the modules and overall platform.

Basic performance and future developments of BeiDou global navigation satellite system

The core performance elements of global navigation satellite system include availability,continuity,integrity and accuracy,all of which are particularly important for the developing BeiDou global navigation satellite system(BDS-3).This paper describes the basic performance of BDS-3 and suggests some methods to improve the positioning,navigation and timing(PNT)service.The precision of the BDS-3 post-processing orbit can reach centimeter level,the average satellite clock offset uncertainty of 18 medium circular orbit satellites is 1.55 ns and the average signal-in-space ranging error is approximately 0.474 m.The future possible improvements for the BeiDou navigation system are also discussed.It is suggested to increase the orbital inclination of the inclined geostationary orbit(IGSO)satellites to improve the PNT service in the Arctic region.The IGSO satellite can perform part of the geostationary orbit(GEO)satellite’s functions to solve the southern occlusion problem of the GEO satellite service in the northern hemisphere(namely the“south wall effect”).The space-borne inertial navigation system could be used to realize continuous orbit determination during satellite maneuver.In addition,high-accuracy space-borne hydrogen clock or cesium clock can be used to maintain the time system in the autonomous navigation mode,and stability of spatial datum.Furthermore,the ionospheric delay correction model of BDS-3 for all signals should be unified to avoid user confusion and improve positioning accuracy.Finally,to overcome the vulnerability of satellite navigation system,the comprehensive and resilient PNT infrastructures are proposed for the future seamless PNT services.

Investigating GNSS PPP-RTK with external ionospheric constraints

Real-Time Kinematic Precise Point Positioning(PPP–RTK)is inextricably linked to external ionospheric information.The PPP-RTK performances vary much with the accuracy of ionospheric information,which is derived from diferent network scales,given diferent prior variances,and obtained under diferent disturbed ionospheric conditions.This study investigates the relationships between the PPP–RTK performances,in terms of precision and convergence time,and the accuracy of external ionospheric information.The statistical results show that The Time to First Fix(TTFF)for the PPP-RTK constrained by Global Ionosphere Map(PPP-RTK-GIM)is about 8–10 min,improved by 20%–50%as compared with that for PPP Ambiguity Resolution(PPP-AR)whose TTFF is about 13–16 min.Additionally,the TTFF of PPP-RTK is 4.4 min,5.2 min,and 6.8 min,respectively,when constrained by the external ionospheric information derived from diferent network scales,e.g.small-,medium-,and large-scale networks,respectively.To analyze the infuences of the optimal prior variances of external ionospheric delay on the PPP–RTK results,the errors of 0.5 Total Electron Content Unit(TECU),1 TECU,3 TECU,and 5 TECU are added to the initial ionospheric delays,respectively.The corresponding convergence time of PPP–RTK is less than 1 min,about 3,5,and 6 min,respectively.After adding the errors,the ionospheric information with a small variance leads to a long convergence time and that with a larger variance leads to the same convergence time as that of PPP-AR.Only when an optimal prior variance is determined for the ionospheric delay in PPP-RTK model,the convergence time for PPP-RTK can be shorten greatly.The impact of Travelling Ionospheric Disturbance(TID)on the PPP-RTK performances is further studied with simulation.It is found that the TIDs increase the errors of ionospheric corrections,thus afecting the convergence time,positioning accuracy,and reliability of PPP-RTK.