Variational data assimilation for deriving global climate analyses from GNSS radio occultation data

A comprehensive global navigation satellite system (GNSS) based radio occultation (RO) data set is available for meteorology and climate applications since the start of GNSS RO measurements aboard the CHAllenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP) satellite in February 2001. Global coverage, all-weather capability, long-term stability and accuracy not only makes this innovative use of GNSS signals a valuable supplement to the data set assimilated into numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems but also an excellent candidate for global climate monitoring. We present a 3D variational data assimilation (3D-Var) scheme developed to derive consistent global analysis fields of temperature, specific humidity, and surface pressure from GNSS RO data. The system is based on the assimilation of RO data within 6 h time windows into European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) short-term (24 h, 30 h) forecasts, to derive climatologic monthly mean fields. July 2003 was used as a test-bed for assessing the system’s performance. The results show good agreement with climatologies derived from RO data only and recent NWP impact studies. These findings are encouraging for future developments to apply the approach for longer term climatologic analyses, validation of other data sets, and atmospheric variability studies.     

GPS radio occultation measurements on ionospheric electron density from low Earth orbit

Since the proof-of-concept GPS/Meteorology (GPS/MET) experiment successfully demonstrated active limb sounding of the Earth’s neutral atmosphere and ionosphere via GPS radio occultation (RO) from low Earth orbit, the developments of electron density (n _e) retrieval techniques and powerful processing systems have made a significant progress in recent years. In this study, the researches of n _e profiling from space-based GPS RO observations are briefly reviewed. Applying to the Formosat-3/Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (FS3/COSMIC) data, we also present a compensatory Abel inversion technique including the effects of large-scale horizontal gradients and/or inhomogeneous ionospheric n _e obtained from an improved near real-time phenomenological model of the TaiWan Ionospheric Model. The results were evaluated by the ionosonde foF2 and foE data and showed improvements of rms foF2 difference from 29.2 to 16.5% in relative percentage and rms foE difference from 54.2 to 32.7% over the standard Abel inversion.     

Single frequency processing of Ørsted GPS radio occultation measurements

The Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation measurements obtained using the TurboRogue GPS receiver on the Danish satellite Ørsted have been processed using the single frequency method. Atmospheric profiles of refractivity and temperature are derived and validated against numerical weather prediction data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF). Results from the Ørsted GPS measurement campaign in February 2000 indicate that the single frequency method can provide retrievals with accuracy comparable to that of using two frequencies. From comparisons between measured dry temperature profiles and corresponding dry temperature profiles derived from ECMWF analysis fields, we find a mean difference of less than 0.5 K and a standard deviation of 2–4 K between 500 and 30 hPa in height. Above 30 hPa the impact of the ionosphere becomes more dominant and more difficult to eliminate using the single frequency method, and the results show degraded accuracy when compared to previous analysis results of occultation data from other missions using the dual frequency method. At latitudes less than 40° (denoted low latitudes), the standard deviation is generally smaller than at latitudes higher than 40° (denoted high latitudes). A small temperature bias is observed centered at 200 hPa for low latitudes and at 300 hPa for high latitudes. This indicates that the ECMWF analyses do not adequately resolve the tropopause temperature minimum. In the lowest part of the troposphere an observed warm bias is thought to be due to erroneous tracking of the GPS signal in cases of atmospheric multipath propagation.     

Global ionosphere maps based on GNSS,satellite altimetry,radio occultation and DORIS

GPS Solutions - Global ionosphere maps (GIMs) provided by the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) data are essential in ionospheric research as the source of the global vertical total...     

GNSS satellite transmit power and its impact on orbit determination

Antenna thrust is a small acceleration acting on Global Navigation Satellite System satellites caused by the transmission of radio navigation signals. Knowledge about the transmit power and the mass of the satellites is required for the computation of this effect. The actual transmit power can be obtained from measurements with a high-gain antenna and knowledge about the properties of the transmit and receive antennas as well as losses along the propagation path. Transmit power measurements for different types of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou-2 satellites were taken with a 30-m dish antenna of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) located at its ground station in Weilheim. For GPS, total L-band transmit power levels of 50–240 W were obtained, 20–135 W for GLONASS, 95–265 W for Galileo, and 130–185 W for BeiDou-2. The transmit power differs usually only slightly for individual spacecraft within one satellite block. An exception are the GLONASS-M satellites where six subgroups with different transmit power levels could be identified. Considering the antenna thrust in precise orbit determination of GNSS satellites decreases the orbital radius by 1–27 mm depending on the transmit power, the satellite mass, and the orbital period.     

Enhanced orbit determination for BeiDou satellites with FengYun-3C onboard GNSS data

GPS Solutions - A key limitation for precise orbit determination of BeiDou satellites, particularly for satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO), is the relative weak geometry of ground stations....     

顾及卫星非圆轨道改正的GNSS精密测速方法

详细推导了卫星非圆轨道改正的计算公式,给出高精度测速顾及该项误差的处理策略．采用全球均匀分布的12个国际GNSS服务（IGS）测站的多普勒和载波相位观测数据,仿动态评估了该项误差对测速精度的影响．结果表明:基于历元间载波相位差分的测速方法,改正后东、北、天顶方向分别提高8％、9％和10％,三维测速精度从9.9 mm／s改正到8.9 mm／s;基于原始多普勒的测速方法,东、北方向与载波相位差分方法的改正数值基本一致,天顶方向约是载波相位差分方法的改正数值的一半．      

新太阳光压模型在GNSS定轨中的应用

太阳光压摄动是影响卫星定轨中重要的误差源,在GNSS导航卫星精密定轨过程中使用最为广泛的光压模型为ECOM模型。为了探究几种ECOM模型及其适用性,该文以超快速星历为起算轨道,分析对比经典ECOM-1模型与最新13参数ECOMC模型对GPS/BDS卫星轨道的影响。结果显示:相较于ECOM-1模型,ECOMC模型在GPS定轨中精度有所提升,特别体现在径向精度提升,单天与三天弧段在径向的解算精度分别提升了12.73%和24.74%;在BDS定轨中,采用ECOMC模型,部分GEO卫星在径向方向单天精度有12.38%的提升,而对于IGSO与MEO卫星二者精度差异不大;分析可得,由于星体结构不对称引起卫星在沿太阳-卫星方向作用的偶数阶短周期谐波扰动,引入卫星-太阳方向偶数阶项的参数估计可提升卫星径向精度。     

Recursive algorithm for fast GNSS orbit fitting

Gaussian elimination is an efficient and numerically stable algorithm for estimating parameters and their precision. However, before estimating the parameters, it is often prudent to perform statistical tests to achieve the best fitting model. We use Gaussian elimination to select the best fitting model among candidate models. A succinct relationship between the weighted sum of squared residuals and the previous one is revealed by a volume formula. For quick parameter estimation and determination of weighted sum of squared residuals, a recursive elimination algorithm is proposed in the context of Gaussian elimination. In order to improve the model selection efficiency, the parameter estimation and the determination of the weighted sum of squared residuals are carried out in parallel using the proposed recursive elimination algorithm in which the improvement at each recursive stage is judged by the Bayesian information criterion. Ultimately, the computational complexity and numerical stability of the recursive elimination proposed are briefly discussed, and a GNSS orbit interpolation example is used to verify the results. It shows that the proposed recursive elimination algorithm inherits the numerical stability of the Gaussian elimination, and this algorithm can be used to examine the gain from the newly introduced parameter, dynamically assess the fitting model, and fix the optimal model efficiently. The optimal fitting model with the lowest information is very close to the real situation verified by checkpoints.     

卫星掩星资料研究对流层/下平流层ENSO响应

近20年来,频发的ENSO事件对地球环境造成了灾难性的破坏。由于传统的ENSO观测系统受到诸多限制因素的影响,难以进行长期持续的观测,阻碍了ENSO监测和预报工作的深入开展。GNSS掩星技术凭借其全球覆盖、高精度、高垂直分辨率、长期稳定、低成本且不易受干扰等优点,为ENSO观测提供了一种新的有效手段。由此,本文展开了COSMIC GNSS掩星技术的ENSO新观测系统的研究,尤其是对流层/下平流层(troposphere and lower stratosphere,TLS)大气中的比湿进行研究。提出从TLS比湿廓线中提取表征ENSO现象的指数(ENSO related signal,ENSORS),并研究了其与ENSO事件的相关性。     

GNSS卫星精密定轨综述:现状、挑战与机遇

GNSS卫星精密轨道是高精度GNSS应用的基础与前提,GNSS卫星精密定轨技术也一直都是卫星导航领域的研究重点与热点。本文首先介绍了GNSS星座与跟踪数据概况,梳理了精密定轨函数模型、动力学模型及随机模型构建过程中的关键问题,归纳了低轨星载观测和星间链路观测等多源数据增强GNSS精密定轨的研究进展;然后,从应用的角度总结了当前GNSS精密轨道产品的基本状态,并进行了精度评估;最后,讨论了GNSS精密定轨在大网快速解算、多层次观测数据融合、太阳光压模型精化及高精度实时定轨等方面所面临的挑战,并展望了低轨星座、光钟、激光链路等新技术给GNSS精密定轨带来的机遇。     

高轨航天器GNSS技术发展

随着高轨航天器任务和数量逐步增多,使用高轨GNSS技术在一定程度上避免了传统地面测控的局限性,降低了测控站网运行负担和维护成本,且提高了卫星平台自主导航能力和测定轨精度,具有显著的研究意义和应用价值。本文对GNSS用于高轨航天器的技术发展进行分析研究,对比低轨航天器,分析了GNSS在高轨空间环境中应用特点;从高轨GNSS可用性、在轨技术验证和高灵敏接收机技术3个方面,总结高轨GNSS自主导航技术特点和发展历程;分析了高轨事后精密定轨和编队卫星相对导航新任务中GNSS技术特点;从高轨航天器未来发展出发,给出后续高轨GNSS技术研究展望。     

GNSS观测噪声对低轨卫星轨道确定的影响分析

低轨卫星不仅是实现全球通信的重要手段,也是对地观测研究的重要平台.利用全球卫星导航系统(GNSS)确定高精度的轨道是实现低轨卫星各项功能的重要基础.为了研究GNSS观测噪声对低轨卫星定轨精度的影响,该文通过模拟包含不同量级观测噪声的GNSS观测值,分析了 GNSS观测噪声对运动学定轨和动力学定轨结果的影响.实验结果表明,在伪距噪声量级优于0.6 m、载波相位噪声量级优于2 mm时,运动学定轨与动力学定轨结果相当,且都在毫米级;在伪距噪声量级为6m、载波相位噪声量级为厘米级时,运动学定轨结果达到厘米级,而动力学定轨结果仍然为毫米级,体现出了相对于运动学定轨的优越性;载波噪声相对伪距噪声对定轨结果的影响更大.     

Method for evaluating real-time GNSS satellite clock offset products

Real-time satellite clock offset products are frequently utilized in navigation and positioning service fields. The precision of such products is a key issue for their application. The evaluation methods existed for satellite clock offset products are mostly based on post-processed satellite clock offset solutions, which will encounter problems in real-time product evaluation, especially for real-time satellite clock offset products estimated from data with regional stations only. We propose an improved evaluation method for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellite clock offset products. In the proposed method, we use all-satellite reference method instead of single-satellite reference method to eliminate the timescale in satellite clock offset products. Moreover, a preprocessing step is suggested to detect gross errors and initial clock bias before evaluating the precision of the satellite clock offsets. We conduct two examples to verify our method, and the experimental results show that the proposed method is more reasonable in assessing the GNSS satellite clock offset precision, and it also provides a reliable approach to analyzing the estimated satellite clock offset in both real-time and post-processed, or globally and regionally.     

Quality assessment of COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 GPS radio occultation data derived from single- and double-difference atmospheric excess phase processing

This study evaluates the quality of GPS radio occultation (RO) atmospheric excess phase data derived with single- and double-difference processing algorithms. A spectral analysis of 1 s GPS clock estimates indicates that a sampling interval of 1 s is necessary to adequately remove the GPS clock error with single-difference processing. One week (May 2–8, 2009) of COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 data are analyzed in a post-processed mode with four different processing strategies: (1) double-differencing with 1 s GPS ground data, (2) single-differencing with 30 s GPS clock estimates (standard COSMIC Data Analysis and Archival Center product), (3) single-differencing with 5 s GPS clocks, and (4) single-differencing with 1 s GPS clocks. Analyses of a common set of 5,596 RO profiles show that the neutral atmospheric bending angles and refractivities derived from single-difference processing with 1 s GPS clocks are the highest quality. The random noise of neutral atmospheric bending angles between 60 and 80 km heights is about 1.50e−6 rad for the single-difference cases and 1.74e−6 rad for double-differencing. An analysis of pairs of collocated soundings also shows that bending angles derived from single-differencing with 1 s GPS clocks are more consistent than with the other processing strategies. Additionally, the standard deviation of the differences between RO and high-resolution European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) refractivity profiles at 30 km height is 0.60% for single-differencing with 1 and 5 s GPS clocks, 0.68% for single-differencing with 30 s clocks, and 0.66% for double-differencing. A GPS clock-sampling interval of 1 s or less is required for single- and zero-difference processing to achieve the highest quality excess atmospheric phase data for RO applications.     

Reliability checking for GNSS baseline and network processing

Reliability analysis is inseparably connected with the formulation of failure scenarios, and common test statistics are based on specific assumptions. This is easily overlooked when processing observation differences. Poor failure identification performance and misleading pre-analysis results, mainly meaningless minimum detectable biases and external reliability measures, are the consequence. A reasonable failure scenario for use with differenced GNSS observations is formulated which takes into account that individual outliers in the original data affect more than one processed observation. The proper test statistics and reliability indicators are given for use with correlated observations and both batch processing and Kalman filtering. It is also shown that standardized residuals and redundancy numbers fail completely when used with double differenced observations.

Optimum stochastic modeling for GNSS tropospheric delay estimation in real-time

GPS Solutions - In GNSS data processing, the station height, receiver clock and tropospheric delay (ZTD) are highly correlated to each other. Although the zenith hydrostatic delay of the...     

A technique for routinely updating the ITU-R database using radio occultation electron density profiles

Well credited and widely used ionospheric models, such as the International Reference Ionosphere or NeQuick, describe the variation of the electron density with height by means of a piecewise profile tied to the F2-peak parameters: the electron density, $N_m \mathrm{F2}$ N m F 2 , and the height, $h_m \mathrm{F2}$ h m F 2 . Accurate values of these parameters are crucial for retrieving reliable electron density estimations from those models. When direct measurements of these parameters are not available, the models compute the parameters using the so-called ITU-R database, which was established in the early 1960s. This paper presents a technique aimed at routinely updating the ITU-R database using radio occultation electron density profiles derived from GPS measurements gathered from low Earth orbit satellites. Before being used, these radio occultation profiles are validated by fitting to them an electron density model. A re-weighted Least Squares algorithm is used for down-weighting unreliable measurements (occasionally, entire profiles) and to retrieve $N_m \mathrm{F2}$ N m F 2 and $h_m \mathrm{F2}$ h m F 2 values—together with their error estimates—from the profiles. These values are used to monthly update the database, which consists of two sets of ITU-R-like coefficients that could easily be implemented in the IRI or NeQuick models. The technique was tested with radio occultation electron density profiles that are delivered to the community by the COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 mission team. Tests were performed for solstices and equinoxes seasons in high and low-solar activity conditions. The global mean error of the resulting maps—estimated by the Least Squares technique—is between $0.5\times 10^{10}$ 0.5 × 10 10 and $3.6\times 10^{10}$ 3.6 × 10 10 elec/m $^{-3}$ ? 3 for the F2-peak electron density (which is equivalent to 7 % of the value of the estimated parameter) and from 2.0 to 5.6 km for the height ( $\sim $ ～ 2 %).