Use of IGS products in TAI applications

The Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) is in charge of producing International Atomic Time TAI. In this aim, it uses clock data from more than 60 laboratories spread worldwide. For two decades, GPS has been an essential tool to link these clocks, and products from the International GNSS Service (IGS) have been used to improve the quality of these time links since its creation in the early 1990s. This paper reviews the various interactions between the IGS and time activities at the BIPM, and shows that TAI has greatly benefited from IGS products so that their availability is now an essential need for the quality of TAI links. On the other hand, IGS has also benefited from introducing time laboratories equipped with highly stable clocks in its network of stations. In the future, similar products will be needed for an ensemble of satellite systems, starting with GLONASS and GALILEO. It will be a major challenge to the IGS to obtain a consistent set of products, particularly for what concerns satellite clocks and inter-system bias values.     

New IGS Station and Satellite Clock Combination

Following the principles set forth in the Position Paper #3 at the 1998 Darmstadt Analysis Center (AC) Workshop on the new International GPS Service (IGS) International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) realization and discussions at the 1999 La Jolla AC workshop, a new clock combination program was developed. The program allows for the input of both SP3 and the new clock (RINEX) format (ftp://igsch.jpl.nasa.gov//igscb/data/format/rinex_clock.txt). The main motivation for this new development is the realization of the goals of the IGS/BIPM timing project. Besides this there is a genuine interest in station clocks and a need for a higher sampling rate of the IGS clocks (currently limited to 15 min due to the SP3 format). The inclusion of station clocks should also allow for a better alignment of the individual AC solutions and should enable the realization of a stable GPS time-scale. For each input AC clock solution the new clock combination solves and corrects for reference clock errors/instabilities as well as satellite/station biases, geocenter and station/satellite orbit errors. External station clock calibrations and/or constraints, such as those resulting from the IGS/BIPM timing pilot project, can be introduced via a subset of the fiducial timing station set, to facilitate a precise and consistent IGS UTC realization for both station and satellite combined clock solutions. Furthermore, the new clock combination process enforces strict strict conformity and consistency with the current and future IGS standards. The new clock combination maintains orbit/clock consistency at millimeter level, which is comparable to the best AC orbit/clock solutions. This is demonstrated by static GIPSY precise point positioning tests using GPS week 0995 data for stations in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres and similar tests with the Bernese software using more recent data from GPS week 1081. ? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Time Transfer for TAI Using a Geodetic Receiver: An Example with the Ashtech ZXII-T

The International Atomic Time scale (TAI) is computed by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) from a set of atomic clocks distributed in about 40 time laboratories around the world. The time transfer between these remote clocks is mostly performed by the so-called GPS common view method: The clocks are connected to a GPS time receiver whose internal software computes the offsets between the remote clocks and GPS time. These data are collected in a standard formal called CCTF. In the present study we develop both the procedure and the software tool that allows us to generate the CCTF files needed for time transfer to TAI, using RINEX files produced by geodetic receivers driven by an external frequency. The CCTF files are then generated from the RINEX observation files. The software is freely available at ftp://omaftp.oma.be/dist/astro/time/RINEX_CCTF. Applied to IGS (International GPS Service) receivers, this procedure will provide a direct link between TAI and the IGS clock combination. We demonstrate here the procedure using the RINEX files from the Ashtech Metronome (ZXII-T) GPS receiver, to which we apply the conventional analysis to compute the CCTF data. We compared these results with the CCTF files produced by a time receiver R100-30T from 3S-Navigation. We also used this comparison with the results of a calibrated time receiver to determine the hardware delay of the geodetic receiver. ? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Time and Frequency Transfer Using GPS Codes and Carrier Phases: Onsite Experiments

Recent studies have shown the capabilities of Global Positioning System (GPS) carrier phases for frequency transfer based on the observations from geodetic GPS receivers driven by stable atomic clocks. This kind of receiver configuration is the kind primarily used within the framework of the International GPS Service (IGS). The International GPS Service/Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (IGS/BIPM) pilot project aims at taking advantage of these GPS receivers to enlarge the network of Time Laboratories contributing to the realization of the International Atomic Time (TAI). In this article, we outline the theory necessary to describe the abilities and limitations of time and frequency transfer using the GPS code and carrier phase observations. We report on several onsite tests and evaluate the present setup of our 12-channel IGS receiver (BRUS), which uses a hydrogen maser as an external frequency reference, to contribute to the IGS/BIPM pilot project. In the initial experimental setup, the receivers had a common external frequency reference; in the second setup, separate external frequency references were used. Independent external clock monitoring provided the necessary information to validate the results. Using two receivers with a common frequency reference and connected to the same antenna, a zero baseline, we were able to use the carrier phase data to derive a frequency stability of 6 × 10⁻¹⁶ for averaging times of one day. The main limitation in the technique originates from small ambient temperature variations of a few degrees Celsius. While these temperature variations have no effect on the functioning of the GPS receiver within the IGS network, they reduce the capacities of the frequency transfer results based on the carrier phase data. We demonstrate that the synchronization offset at the initial measurement epoch can be estimated from a combined use of the code and carrier phase observations. In our test, the discontinuity between two consecutive days was about 140 ps. ? 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The international global navigation satellite systems service (IGS): development and achievements

Since 21 June 1992 the International GPS Service (IGS), renamed International GNSS Service in 2005, produces and makes available uninterrupted time series of its products, in particular GPS observations from the IGS Global Network, GPS orbits, Earth orientation parameters (components x and y of polar motion, length of day) with daily time resolution, satellite and receiver clock information for each day with different latencies and accuracies, and station coordinates and velocities in weekly batches for further analysis by the IERS (International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service). At a later stage the IGS started exploiting its network for atmosphere monitoring, in particular for ionosphere mapping, for troposphere monitoring, and time and frequency transfer. This is why new IGS products encompass ionosphere maps and tropospheric zenith delays. This development became even more important when more and more space-missions carrying space-borne GPS for various purposes were launched. This article offers an overview for the broader scientific community of the development of the IGS and of the spectrum of topics addressed today with IGS data and products.     

A new type of troposphere zenith path delay product of the international GNSS service

The International GNSS Service (IGS) has been producing the total troposphere zenith path delay (ZPD) product that is based on combined ZPD contributions from several IGS Analysis Centers (AC) since GPS week 890 in 1997. A new approach to the production of the IGS ZPD has been proposed that replaces the direct combination of diverse ZPD products with point positioning estimates using the IGS Combined Final orbit and clock products. The new product was formally adopted in 2007 after several years of concurrent production with the legacy product. We describe here the advantages of the new approach for the IGS ZPD product, which enhance the value of the new ZPD product for climate studies. We also address the impact the IGS adoption in November 2006 of new GPS antenna phase center standards has had on the new ZPD product. Finally we describe plans to further enhance the ZPD products.     

Rapid orbit determination of LEO satellites using IGS clock and ephemeris products

Different types of GPS clock and orbit data provided by the International GPS Service (IGS) have been used to assess the accuracy of rapid orbit determination for satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) using spaceborne GPS measurements. To avoid the need for reference measurements from ground-based reference receivers, the analysis is based on an undifferenced processing of GPS code and carrier-phase measurements. Special attention is therefore given to the quality of GPS clock data that directly affects the resulting orbit determination accuracy. Interpolation of clock data from the available 15 min grid points is identified as a limiting factor in the use of IGS ultra-rapid ephemerides. Despite this restriction, a 10-cm orbit determination accuracy can be obtained with these products data as demonstrated for the GRACE-B spacecraft during selected data arcs between 2002 and 2004. This performance may be compared with a 5-cm orbit determination accuracy achievable with IGS rapid and final products using 5 min clock samples. For improved accuracy, high-rate (30 s) clock solutions are recommended that are presently only available from individual IGS centers. Likewise, a reduced latency and more frequent updates of IGS ultra-rapid ephemerides are desirable to meet the requirements of upcoming satellite missions for near real-time and precise orbit determination.     

Quality assessment of GPS reprocessed terrestrial reference frame

The International GNSS Service (IGS) contributes to the construction of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) by submitting time series of station positions and Earth Rotation Parameters (ERP). For the first time, its submission to the ITRF2008 construction is based on a combination of entirely reprocessed GPS solutions delivered by 11 Analysis Centers (ACs). We analyze the IGS submission and four of the individual AC contributions in terms of the GNSS frame origin and scale, station position repeatability and time series seasonal variations. We show here that the GPS Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) origin is consistent with Satellite laser Ranging (SLR) at the centimeter level with a drift lower than 1 mm/year. Although the scale drift compared to Very Long baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and SLR mean scale is smaller than 0.4 mm/year, we think that it would be premature to use that information in the ITRF scale definition due to its strong dependence on the GPS satellite and ground antenna phase center variations. The new position time series also show a better repeatability compared to past IGS combined products and their annual variations are shown to be more consistent with loading models. The comparison of GPS station positions and velocities to those of VLBI via local ties in co-located sites demonstrates that the IGS reprocessed solution submitted to the ITRF2008 is more reliable and precise than any of the past submissions. However, we show that some of the remaining inconsistencies between GPS and VLBI positioning may be caused by uncalibrated GNSS radomes.     

顾及卫星姿态的多系统精密钟差产品综合

国际GNSS服务(IGS)提供的GPS综合产品被广泛应用于各种高精度科学研究中. 随着各国卫星导航系统的发展,亟需研究针对多系统全球卫星导航系统(GNSS)产品的综合策略. 由于卫星姿态与钟差相互耦合,综合钟差时额外考虑姿态改正将进一步提高综合产品精度,因此研究了一种顾及卫星姿态的GNSS钟差综合策略,改正姿态后GPS综合残差最大可减小80%. 对142个IGS测站进行精密单点定位(PPP)解算发现,综合产品比单个分析中心产品更加稳定,东(E)、北(N)、高(U)方向的动态定位精度最大可提升22.7%、16.7%和18.3%. 相对于未顾及姿态改正的综合产品,顾及姿态改正的综合产品的动态定位精度最大可提升65.3%.      

利用改进灰色模型的钟差预报算法及其精度分析

灰色模型在钟差长期预报中虽具有一定的优势,但是预测的精度还有进一步提高的可能。在本文中,采用经过数据预处理和残差修正对一阶灰色模型进行了改进,再对GPS卫星钟差进行不同时间尺度上的预报。算例利用IGS提供的精密钟差产品,建立了一个基于改进灰色模型的预报算法,改进灰色模型的预报精度较传统的二次项模型有了很大的提高,且预报结果的收敛性也获得了一定程度的改善。     

Global GPS data analysis at the National Geodetic Survey

NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey (NGS) has been one of the Analysis Centers (ACs) of the International GNSS Service (IGS) since its inception in 1994. Solutions for daily GPS orbits and Earth orientation parameters are regularly contributed to the IGS Rapid and Final products, as well as solutions of weekly station positions. These solutions are combined with those of the other ACs and then the resultant IGS products are distributed to users. To perform these tasks, NGS has developed and refined the Program for the Adjustment of GPS EphemerideS (PAGES) software. Although PAGES has continuously evolved over the past 15 years, recent efforts have focused mostly on updating models and procedures to conform more closely to IGS and the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) conventions. Details of our processing updates and demonstrations of the improvements will be provided.     

GPS精密卫星钟差估计与分析

探讨了GPS精密卫星钟差的估计方法,并分析了伪距与相位观测值对估计精度的影响。基于PAN-DA软件,采用全球均匀分布的40个IGS跟踪站的实测数据,对GPS精密钟差进行估计与分析。试验结果表明,目前采用PANDA软件估计的GPS精密卫星钟差与IGS事后精密卫星钟差比较,互差优于0.2 ns,与国际IGS各分析中心估计的卫星钟差精度相当。     

Precise Point Positioning Using IGS Orbit and Clock Products

The contribution details a post-processing approach that used undifferentiated dual-frequency pseudorange and carrier phase observations along with IGS procise orbit products, for stand-alone precise geodetic point positioning (static or kinematic) with cm precision. This is possible if one takes advantage of the satellite clock estimates available with the satellite coordinates in the IGS precise orbit products and models systematic effects that cause cm variations in the satelite to user range. This paper will describe the approach, summarize the adjustment procedure, and specify the earth- and space-based models that must be implementetd to achieve cm-level positioning in static mode. Furthermore, station tropospheric zenth path delays with cm precision and GPS receiver clock estimates procise to 0.1 ns are also obtained. ? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

GPS/GLONASS组合精密单点定位研究

讨论了GPS/GLONASS组合精密单点定位的数学模型,并以IRKJ跟踪站的观测数据为例,分别利用GPS和GPS/GLONASS组合两种方式进行精密单点定位解算。计算结果表明,当GPS观测卫星数较多(9~10颗)时,组合GPS/GLONASS较单系统GPS的精密单点定位精度及收敛速度有一定改善,但效果不明显。当GPS卫星数较少(4~5颗)时,引入GLONASS卫星进行GPS/GLONASS组合精密单点定位,其定位精度及收敛速度较单系统GPS精密单点均有显著改善。     

Quality of reprocessed GPS satellite orbits

High-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite orbits are one of the core products of the International GNSS Service (IGS). Since the establishment of the IGS in 1994, the quality and consistency of the IGS orbits has steadily been improved by advances in the modeling of GPS observations. However, due to these model improvements and reference frame changes, the time series of operational orbits are inhomogeneous and inconsistent. This problem can only be overcome by a complete reprocessing starting with the raw observation data. The quality of reprocessed GPS satellite orbits for the time period 1994–2005 will be assessed in this paper. Orbit fits show that the internal consistency of the orbits could be improved by a factor of about two in the early years. Comparisons with the operational IGS orbits show clear discontinuities whenever the reference frame was changed by the IGS. The independent validation with Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) residuals shows an improvement of up to 30% whereas a systematic bias of 5 cm still persists.     

Apparent clock variations of the Block IIF-1 (SVN62) GPS satellite

The Block IIF satellites feature a new generation of high-quality rubidium clocks for time and frequency keeping and are the first GPS satellites transmitting operational navigation signals on three distinct frequencies. We investigate apparent clock offset variations for the Block IIF-1 (SVN62) spacecraft that have been identified in L1/L2 clock solutions as well as the L1/L5-minus-L1/L2 clock difference. With peak-to-peak amplitudes of 10?C40?cm, these variations are of relevance for future precision point positioning applications and ionospheric analyses. A proper characterization and understanding is required to fully benefit from the quality of the new signals and clocks. The analysis covers a period of 8?months following the routine payload activation and is based on GPS orbit and clock products generated by the CODE analysis center of the International GNSS Service (IGS) as well as triple-frequency observations collected with the CONGO network. Based on a harmonic analysis, empirical models are presented that describe the sub-daily variation of the clock offset and the inter-frequency clock difference. These contribute to a better clock predictability at timescales of several hours and enable a consistent use of L1/L2 clock products in L1/L5-based positioning.     

Zero-difference GPS ambiguity resolution at CNES–CLS IGS Analysis Center

CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites) became an International GNSS Service (IGS) Analysis Center (AC) the 20th of May 2010. Since 2009, we are using the integer ambiguity fixing at the zero-difference level strategy in our software package (GINS/Dynamo) as an alternative to classical differential approaches. This method played a key role among all the improvements in the GPS processing we made during this period. This paper provides to the users the theoretical background, the strategies and the models used to compute the products (GPS orbits and clocks, weekly station coordinate estimates and Earth orientation parameters) that are submitted weekly to the IGS. The practical realization of the two-step, ambiguity-fixing scheme (wide-lane and narrow-lane) is described in detail. The ambiguity fixing improved our orbit overlaps from 6 to 3?cm WRMS in the tangential and normal directions. Since 2008, our products have been also regularly compared to the IGS final solutions by the IGS Analysis Center Coordinator. The joint effects of ambiguity fixing and dynamical model changes (satellite solar radiation pressure and albedo force) improved the consistency with IGS orbits from 35 to 18?mm 3D-WRMS. Our innovative strategy also gives additional powerful properties to the GPS satellite phase clock solutions. Single receiver (zero-difference) ambiguity resolution becomes possible. An overview of the applications is given.     

IGS contribution to the ITRF

We examine the contribution of the International GNSS Service (IGS) to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) by evaluating the quality of the incorporated solutions as well as their major role in the ITRF formation. Starting with the ITRF2005, the ITRF is constructed with input data in the form of time series of station positions (weekly for satellite techniques and daily for VLBI) and daily Earth Orientation Parameters. Analysis of time series of station positions is a fundamental first step in the ITRF elaboration, allowing to assess not only the stations behavior, but also the frame parameters and in particular the physical ones, namely the origin and the scale. As it will be seen, given the poor number and distribution of SLR and VLBI co-location sites, the IGS GPS network plays a major role by connecting these two techniques together, given their relevance for the definition of the origin and the scale of the ITRF. Time series analysis of the IGS weekly combined and other individual Analysis Center solutions indicates an internal precision (or repeatability) <2 mm in the horizontal component and <5 mm in the vertical component. Analysis of three AC weekly solutions shows generally poor agreement in origin and scale, with some indication of better agreement when the IGS started to use the absolute model of antenna phase center variations after the GPS week 1400 (November 2006).     

GPS多站组网的亚纳秒实时时间比对算法

针对传统GPS PPP(precise point positioning)时间比对算法依赖精密星历产品、时间延迟较长和实时性差等问题,提出了一种多站组网实时时间比对算法。采用IGU超快速星历产品作为解算输入条件,利用多站联测增加多余观测,将测站钟差和卫星钟差作为未知数统一解算。实验结果表明,比对结果与IGS最终钟差的一致性达到了0.3 ns以内,比对结果的天频率稳定度优于2.5×10^-15。     

基于IGS超快星历预报卫星钟差及其精度分析

在实时GPS精密单点定位中,能否快速有效地得到高精度的卫星钟差预报值是影响实时单点定位速度和精度的一个重要因素,由于GPS原子钟的高频率、高敏感和极易受到外界及其本身因素影响的性质使得卫星钟差预报至今都没能得到很好地解决,本文在目前的卫星钟差预报基础上,分别探讨了利用灰色模型理论、线性模型和二次多项式模型等方法,以IGS超快星历中2004年12月7日卫星钟差观测资料预报8日的卫星钟差为例进行卫星钟差预报研究,初步得出如下结论:在利用IGS超快星历的前一天的卫星钟差观测值预报后一天的钟差时,线性模型相对方便有效;而灰色模型只要选取合适的模型指数系数,能得到较高精度;但二次多项式模型预报精度较差。利用线性模型能达到或优于IGS超快星历预报钟差的预报精度。