Using DORIS measurements for modeling the vertical total electron content of the Earth’s ionosphere

The Doppler orbitography and radiopositioning integrated by satellite (DORIS) system was originally developed for precise orbit determination of low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites. Beyond that, it is highly qualified for modeling the distribution of electrons within the Earth’s ionosphere. It measures with two frequencies in L-band with a relative frequency ratio close to 5. Since the terrestrial ground beacons are distributed quite homogeneously and several LEOs are equipped with modern receivers, a good applicability for global vertical total electron content (VTEC) modeling can be expected. This paper investigates the capability of DORIS dual-frequency phase observations for deriving VTEC and the contribution of these data to global VTEC modeling. The DORIS preprocessing is performed similar to commonly used global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) preprocessing. However, the absolute DORIS VTEC level is taken from global ionospheric maps (GIM) provided by the International GNSS Service (IGS) as the DORIS data contain no absolute information. DORIS-derived VTEC values show good consistency with IGS GIMs with a RMS between 2 and 3 total electron content units (TECU) depending on solar activity which can be reduced to less than 2 TECU when using only observations with elevation angles higher than \(50^\circ \) . The combination of DORIS VTEC with data from other space-geodetic measurement techniques improves the accuracy of global VTEC models significantly. If DORIS VTEC data is used to update IGS GIMs, an improvement of up to 12  % can be achieved. The accuracy directly beneath the DORIS satellites’ ground-tracks ranges between 1.5 and 3.5 TECU assuming a precision of 2.5 TECU for altimeter-derived VTEC values which have been used for validation purposes.     

Consistency of seven different GNSS global ionospheric mapping techniques during one solar cycle

In the context of the International GNSS Service (IGS), several IGS Ionosphere Associated Analysis Centers have developed different techniques to provide global ionospheric maps (GIMs) of vertical total electron content (VTEC) since 1998. In this paper we present a comparison of the performances of all the GIMs created in the frame of IGS. Indeed we compare the classical ones (for the ionospheric analysis centers CODE, ESA/ESOC, JPL and UPC) with the new ones (NRCAN, CAS, WHU). To assess the quality of them in fair and completely independent ways, two assessment methods are used: a direct comparison to altimeter data (VTEC-altimeter) and to the difference of slant total electron content (STEC) observed in independent ground reference stations (dSTEC-GPS). The main conclusion of this study, performed during one solar cycle, is the consistency of the results between so many different GIM techniques and implementations.     

用“预测-校正”法快速解算接收机码间偏差

为了提高接收机码间偏差的计算效率和精度,利用CODE中心发布的全球VTEC地图和卫星码间偏差,通过内"预测-校正"法快速解算接收机码间偏差,并结合VTEC多项式对内插结果进行误差项改正。新算法解算的码间偏差与IGS发布的数据差值基本维持在0.2 ns以内,表明该算法计算精度较高,且效率明显高于传统方法。     

Combination of different space-geodetic observations for regional ionosphere modeling

Most of the space-geodetic observation techniques can be used for modeling the distribution of free electrons in the Earth’s ionosphere. By combining different techniques one can take advantage of their different spatial and temporal distributions as well as their different observation characteristics and sensitivities concerning ionospheric parameter estimation. The present publication introduces a procedure for multi-dimensional ionospheric modeling. The model consists of a given reference part and an unknown correction part expanded in terms of B-spline functions. This approach is used to compute regional models of Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) based on the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI 2007) and GPS observations from terrestrial Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reference stations, radio occultation data from Low Earth Orbiters (LEOs), dual-frequency radar altimetry measurements, and data obtained by Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). The approach overcomes deficiencies in the climatological IRI model and reaches the same level of accuracy than GNSS-based VTEC maps from IGS. In areas without GNSS observations (e.g., over the oceans) radio occultations and altimetry provide valuable measurements and further improve the VTEC maps. Moreover, the approach supplies information on the offsets between different observation techniques as well as on their different sensitivity for ionosphere modeling. Altogether, the present procedure helps to derive improved ionospheric corrections (e.g., for one-frequency radar altimeters) and at the same time it improves our knowledge on the Earth’s ionosphere.     

IGS 电离层 VTEC 产品内插算法解析

IGS电离层V T EC产品对电离层相关研究具有重要应用价值,其全球用户呈不断快速增长趋势。由于缺乏较详细的内插算法介绍,结合IO N EX1．0格式说明文件和瑞士BERN大学源代码对内插算法进行了解析,并以2013年5月16日产品为例说明了四种内插算法的差异,为准确使用IGS电离层V T EC产品提供了参考。     

Monitoring Seasonal Variations of Ionospheric TEC Using GPS Measurements

The regional ionospheric model is adopted to determine satellite-plus-receiver differential delay. The satellite-plus-receiver differential delay is estimated as constant values for each day. Dual-frequency GPS pseudo-ranges observables are used to compute vertical TEC (VTEC). All the monthly mean VTEC profiles are represented by graphs using GPS data of the Beijing IGS site between 2000 and 2004. The monthly averaged values and amplitudes of VTEC are also represented by graphs. The results indicate that the VTEC has seasonal dependency. The monthly averaged values and amplitudes of VTEC in 2000 are about 2 times larger than that in 2004. The maximum VTEC values are observed in March and April, while the minimum VTEC values are observed in December. The seasonal variations trend is found to be similar after polynomial fitting between 2000 and 2004.     

利用GPS监测电离层总电子含量的季节性变化

利用Georgiadiou电离层模型计算了GPS系统硬件延迟，从而由双频伪距观测值获取绝对电离层总电子含量值。利用北京IGS站的GPS观测数据分别计算了2000年和2004年各个不同月份的总电子含量值，对两年各月份的总电子含量进行多项式拟合，发现总电子含量的季节性变化趋势一致。     

基于区域电离层建模的硬件延迟参数估计

介绍计算硬件延迟的方法,采用电离层VTEC模型进行系统组合硬件延迟的参数估计;比较单站和多站建模的差异,并且对解算结果的准确性与稳定性与IGS公布的结果进行比较.计算结果与IGS的计算结果一致,表明修正硬件延迟后的电子浓度含量能较好地反映磁暴现象.     

Performance of various predicted GNSS global ionospheric maps relative to GPS and JASON TEC data

When using predicted total electron content (TEC) products to generate preliminary real-time global ionospheric maps (GIMs), validation of these ionospheric predicted products is essential. In this study, we evaluate the accuracy of five predicted GIMs, provided by the international GNSS service (IGS), over continental and oceanic regions during the period from September 2009 to September 2015. Over continental regions, the GPS TEC data collected from 41 IGS continuous tracking stations are used as a reference data set. Over oceanic regions, the TEC data from the JASON altimeter are used for comparison. An initial performance comparison between the IGS combined final GIM product and the predicted GIMs is also included in this study. The evaluation results show that the predicted GIMs produced by CODE outperform the other predicted GIMs for all three validation results. The accuracy of the 1-day predicted GIMs, produced by the IGS associate analysis centers (IAACs), is higher than that of the 2-day predicted GIMs. Compared to the 2-day UPC predicted GIMs, the 2-day ESA predicted GIMs are observed to have slightly worse performances over ocean regions and better positioning performances over continental regions.     

Anomalies in broadcast ionospheric coefficients recorded by GPS receivers over the past two solar cycles (1992–2013)

The anomaly phenomenon of broadcast ionospheric model coefficients of the Global Positioning System (GPS) is revealed after analyzing the navigation file data collected from all the IGS (International GNSS Service) stations worldwide over a 22-year period (1992–2013). GPS broadcast ionospheric coefficients widely used by many single-frequency users to correct the ionosphere errors for numerous GPS applications are usually believed to have only one set/version per day. However, it is found that GPS receivers from the IGS network can report as many as eight sets/versions of ionospheric coefficients in a day. In order to investigate the possible factors for such an anomalous phenomenon, the relationship between the number of coefficient sets and solar cycle, the receiver geographic locations, and receiver types/models are analyzed in detail. The results indicate that most of the coefficients show an annual variation. During the active solar cycle period from mid-1999 to mid-2001, all of the coefficients extracted from IGS navigation files behaved anomalously. Our analysis shows that the anomaly is also associated with GPS receiver types/models. Some types/models of GPS receivers report one set/version of ionospheric coefficients daily, while others report multiple sets. Our analysis also suggests that the ionospheric coefficient anomaly is not necessarily related to ionospheric scintillations. No correlation between the anomaly and geographic location of GPS receivers has been found in the analysis. Using the ionospheric coefficient data collected from 1998 to 2013, the impact of ionospheric coefficient anomaly on vertical total electron content (VTEC) calculation using the Klobuchar model has been evaluated with respect to the Global Ionospheric Maps generated by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe. With different sets of coefficients recorded on the same day, the resulting VTEC values are dramatically different. For instance on June 1, 2000, the largest VTEC at one of our test stations can be as large as 153.3 TECu (total electron content unit) using one set of coefficients, which is 16.36 times larger than the smallest VTEC of 9.37 TECu computed from using another set of coefficients.     

区域电离层TEC建模及其在磁暴上的应用

介绍计算卫星及测站硬件延迟的方法,采用低阶球谐函数模型进行系统组合硬件延迟的参数估计,选取欧洲区域内的10个IGS观测站,15 min实时解算一个VTEC模型,对解算结果的准确性和稳定性与IGS公布的结果进行比较,计算结果与IGS的计算结果一致。针对2015年3月17日发生的磁暴,利用经过硬件延迟修正后的电子含量,研究测站上空的电离层电子含量的变化情况,表明其能较好地反映磁暴现象。      

全球电离层时空变化特性分析

采用谱分析和小波分解的方法对全球电离层VTEC量的时空变化特性进行了分析。使用IGS中心发布的全球电离层网格图数据,分别从高中低纬度全年变化特性、南北半球全年变化特性、全球范围内随经纬度的变化特性对电离层VTEC进行了分析。结果表明,高中低纬度地区VTEC量具有周日和半周年变化现象,在二分点处存在峰值,南半球电离层较北半球电离层活跃,经度变化对VTEC值的影响较纬度变化大,总体上,太阳辐射是电离层活动的主要影响因素。     

一种基于泰勒级数展开的电离层延迟改正模型

针对电离层延迟误差对定位精度的影响,本文将泰勒级数展开应用于电离层延迟的求解过程中,提出了一种基于泰勒级数展开的电离层改正模型（TSE模型）。将该模型与传统的Klobuchar模型和NeQuick模型在VTEC的求解精度和定位精度上进行了对比分析,用IGS网站提供的测量数据,通过仿真试验验证,得出了TSE模型在提高定位精度上具有较好的可行性与时间适应性的结论。     

Real-Time Precise Point Positioning (RTPPP) with raw observations and its application in real-time regional ionospheric VTEC modeling

Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is an absolute positioning technology mainly used in post data processing. With the continuously increasing demand for real-time high-precision applications in positioning, timing, retrieval of atmospheric parameters, etc., Real-Time PPP (RTPPP) and its applications have drawn more and more research attention in recent years. This study focuses on the models, algorithms and ionospheric applications of RTPPP on the basis of raw observations, in which high-precision slant ionospheric delays are estimated among others in real time. For this purpose, a robust processing strategy for multi-station RTPPP with raw observations has been proposed and realized, in which real-time data streams and State-Space-Representative (SSR) satellite orbit and clock corrections are used. With the RTPPP-derived slant ionospheric delays from a regional network, a real-time regional ionospheric Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) modeling method is proposed based on Adjusted Spherical Harmonic Functions and a Moving-Window Filter. SSR satellite orbit and clock corrections from different IGS analysis centers are evaluated. Ten globally distributed real-time stations are used to evaluate the positioning performances of the proposed RTPPP algorithms in both static and kinematic modes. RMS values of positioning errors in static/kinematic mode are 5.2/15.5, 4.7/17.4 and 12.8/46.6 mm, for north, east and up components, respectively. Real-time slant ionospheric delays from RTPPP are compared with those from the traditional Carrier-to-Code Leveling (CCL) method, in terms of function model, formal precision and between-receiver differences of short baseline. Results show that slant ionospheric delays from RTPPP are more precise and have a much better convergence performance than those from the CCL method in real-time processing. 30 real-time stations from the Asia-Pacific Reference Frame network are used to model the ionospheric VTECs over Australia in real time, with slant ionospheric delays from both RTPPP and CCL methods for comparison. RMS of the VTEC differences between RTPPP/CCL method and CODE final products is 0.91/1.09 TECU, and RMS of the VTEC differences between RTPPP and CCL methods is 0.67 TECU. Slant Total Electron Contents retrieved from different VTEC models are also validated with epoch-differenced Geometry-Free combinations of dual-frequency phase observations, and mean RMS values are 2.14, 2.33 and 2.07 TECU for RTPPP method, CCL method and CODE final products, respectively. This shows the superiority of RTPPP-derived slant ionospheric delays in real-time ionospheric VTEC modeling.     

基于GPS数据的地震前电离层TEC异常研究

选取印度洋区域7个IGS站,运用2004年12月26日印度洋地震前后共计25 d的GPS观测数据,计算出高时空分辨率的VTEC.综合考虑了太阳和地磁活动参数,运用统计分析的方法,详尽阐释了地震发生前TEC减小的电离层异常现象.     

Computation of GPS P1–P2 Differential Code Biases with JASON-2

GPS Differential Code Biases (DCBs) computation is usually based on ground networks of permanent stations. The drawback of the classical methods is the need for the ionospheric delay so that any error in this quantity will map into the solution. Nowadays, many low-orbiting satellites are equipped with GPS receivers which are initially used for precise orbitography. Considering spacecrafts at an altitude above the ionosphere, the ionized contribution comes from the plasmasphere, which is less variable in time and space. Based on GPS data collected onboard JASON-2 spacecraft, we present a methodology which computes in the same adjustment the satellite and receiver DCBs in addition to the plasmaspheric vertical total electron content (VTEC) above the satellite, the average satellite bias being set to zero. Results show that GPS satellite DCB solutions are very close to those of the IGS analysis centers using ground measurements. However, the receiver DCB and VTEC are closely correlated, and their value remains sensitive to the choice of the plasmaspheric parametrization.     

基于GPS的2003年10月28日太阳耀斑的电离层响应研究

本文利用VTEC(the Vertical Total Electron Contents)增量和VTEC变化率分析了电离层在2003年10月28日太阳耀斑期间中国的四个IGS跟踪站的响应情况.通过分析比较说明用VTEC变化率似更适合探测电离层对太阳耀斑的响应,并有望发现耀斑期间电离层的一些扰动现象,但在能得到高精度的绝对离层延迟的情况下,利用VTEC增量能准确全面地反映电离层对耀斑响应的整体变化情况.     

双向相位平滑伪距的硬件延迟解算研究

针对利用GPS观测数据提取TEC过程中最主要的误差来源硬件延迟问题,该文为了获取高精度TEC,在对双频观测数据处理时,改进了基于Hatch滤波的相位平滑伪距算法的使用方法,即双向平滑,取得较好的效果。研究采用了VTEC多项式和球冠谐分析模型来进行区域电离层建模及硬件延迟解算,经比较模型解算的硬件延迟与IGS发布值最大差异不超过1ns,其中VTEC多项式模型解80%差异值小于0.5ns,球冠谐函数模型解所有差异值均小于0.5ns。     

The activities of the Ionosphere Working Group of the International GPS Service (IGS)

This article is based on a position paper presented at the IGS Network, Data and Analysis Center Workshop 2002 in Ottawa, Canada, 8–11 April 2002, and introduces the IGS Ionosphere Working Group (Iono_WG). Detailed information about the IGS in general can be found on the IGS Central Bureau Web page: http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov. The Iono_WG commenced working in June 1998. The working group's main activity currently is the routine production of ionosphere Total Electron Content (TEC) maps with a 2-h time resolution and daily sets of GPS satellite and receiver hardware differential code bias (DCB) values. The TEC maps and DCB sets are derived from GPS dual-frequency tracking data recorded with the global IGS tracking network. In the medium- and long-term, the working group intends to refine algorithms for the mapping of ionospheric parameters from GPS measurements and to realize near–real–time availability of IGS ionosphere products. The paper will give an overview of the Iono_WG activities that include a summary of activities since its establishment, achievements and future plans. Electronic Publication     

IGS Earth Rotation Parameters

Since its official start in January 1994, the International GPS Service (IGS) has been distributing, as part of its product combination, two distinct Earth rotation parameter (ERP) series: the IGS Rapid series and the IGS Final series. Initially, the IGS Rapid ERP values were interpolations of the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) Bulletin A, whereas the IGS Final ERP series was based on the IERS Bulletin B. Since June 1996, the IGS has been generating its own Final ERP series consistent with the IGS combined orbit products and based on weighted means of individual IGS analysis center (AC) solutions. At first, only the polar motion (PM) coordinates and their rates were combined. Length of Day (LOD) and Universal Time (UT) solutions, also based on separate weighted mean combinations, followed in March 1997. Currently, the IGS Rapid and Final combinations are produced and made available within 17 hours and 11 days, respectively, after the last observation. Both IGS and the best AC series are consistent and precise at the 0.1-milliarcsecond (mas) level for PM and at about 30 μs for LOD. Biases in some AC solutions may exceed these consistency levels. Comparisons of both IGS ERP series with external standards, such as the IERS multitechnique Bulletins and atmospheric angular momentum series, confirm the estimated precisions. ? 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.