Comparison of Absolute and Relative Antenna Phase Center Variations

Three major GPS antenna calibration methods are available toda: the relative field calibrations using the GPS data collected on short baselines, the absolute field calibrations, where the GPS antenna is rotated and tilted by a robot, and calibration measurements in an anechoic chamber. Mean antenna offsets and the elevation-dependent phase center variations of GPS antennas determined by all three techniques are compared to assess their accuracy. The analysis of global GPS data with these sets of calibration values reveals that the offsets and variations of the satellite antenna phase centers have to be considered, too, to obtain a consistent picture. ? 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Antenna phase center calibration for precise positioning of LEO satellites

Phase center variations of the receiver and transmitter antenna constitute a remaining uncertainty in the high precision orbit determination (POD) of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites using GPS measurements. Triggered by the adoption of absolute phase patterns in the IGS processing standards, a calibration of the Sensor Systems S67-1575-14 antenna with GFZ choke ring has been conducted that serves as POD antenna on various geodetic satellites such as CHAMP, GRACE and TerraSAR-X. Nominal phase patterns have been obtained with a robotic measurement system in a field campaign and the results were used to assess the impact of receiver antenna phase patterns on the achievable positioning accuracy. Along with this, phase center distortions in the actual spacecraft environment were characterized based on POD carrier phase residuals for the GRACE and TerraSAR-X missions. It is shown that the combined ground and in-flight calibration can improve the carrier phase modeling accuracy to a level of 4 mm which is close to the pure receiver noise. A 3.5 cm (3D rms) consistency of kinematic and reduced dynamic orbit determination solutions is achieved for TerraSAR-X, which presumably reflects the limitations of presently available GPS ephemeris products. The reduced dynamic solutions themselves match the observations of high grade satellite laser ranging stations to 1.5 cm but are potentially affected by cross-track biases at the cm-level. With respect to the GPS based relative navigation of TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X formation, the in-flight calibration of the antenna phase patterns is considered essential for an accurate modeling of differential carrier phase measurements and a mm level baseline reconstruction.

Absolute phase center corrections of satellite and receiver antennas

Results of the estimation of azimuth-dependent phase center variations (PCVs) of GPS satellite antennas using global GPS data are presented. Significant variations of up to ±3–4 mm that are demonstrated show excellent repeatability over eight years. The application of the azimuthal PCVs besides the nadir-dependent ones will lead to a further reduction in systematic antenna effects. In addition, the paper focuses on the benefit of a possible transition from relative to absolute PCVs. Apart from systematic changes in the global station coordinates, one can expect the GPS results to be less dependent on the elevation cut-off angle. This, together with the significant reduction of tropospheric zenith delay biases between GPS and VLBI, stands for an important step toward more consistency between different space geodetic techniques.     

Generation of a consistent absolute phase-center correction model for GPS receiver and satellite antennas

The development and numerical values of the new absolute phase-center correction model for GPS receiver and satellite antennas, as adopted by the International GNSS (global navigation satellite systems) Service, are presented. Fixing absolute receiver antenna phase-center corrections to robot-based calibrations, the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ) and the Technische Universität München reprocessed more than 10 years of GPS data in order to generate a consistent set of nadir-dependent phase-center variations (PCVs) and offsets in the z-direction pointing toward the Earth for all GPS satellites in orbit during that period. The agreement between the two solutions estimated by independent software packages is better than 1 mm for the PCVs and about 4 cm for the z-offsets. In addition, the long time-series facilitates the study of correlations of the satellite antenna corrections with several other parameters such as the global terrestrial scale or the orientation of the orbital planes with respect to the Sun. Finally, completely reprocessed GPS solutions using different phase-center correction models demonstrate the benefits from switching from relative to absolute antenna phase-center corrections. For example, tropospheric zenith delay biases between GPS and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), as well as the drift of the terrestrial scale, are reduced and the GPS orbit consistency is improved.     

Estimation of phase center corrections for GLONASS-M satellite antennas

Driven by the comprehensive modernization of the GLONASS space segment and the increased global availability of GLONASS-capable ground stations, an updated set of satellite-specific antenna phase center corrections for the current GLONASS-M constellation is determined by processing 84 weeks of dual-frequency data collected between January 2008 and August 2009 by a worldwide network of 227 GPS-only and 115 combined GPS/GLONASS tracking stations. The analysis is performed according to a rigorous combined multi-system processing scheme providing full consistency between the GPS and the GLONASS system. The solution is aligned to a realization of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2005. The estimated antenna parameters are compared with the model values currently used within the International GNSS Service (IGS). It is shown that the z-offset estimates are on average 7 cm smaller than the corresponding IGS model values and that the block-specific mean value perfectly agrees with the nominal GLONASS-M z-offset provided by the satellite manufacturer. The existence of azimuth-dependent phase center variations is investigated and uncertainties in the horizontal offset estimates due to mathematical correlations and yaw-attitude modeling problems during eclipse seasons are addressed. Finally, it is demonstrated that the orbit quality benefits from the updated GLONASS-M antenna phase center model and that a consistent set of satellite antenna z-offsets for GPS and GLONASS is imperative to obtain consistent GPS- and GLONASS-derived station heights.     

GPS Antenna Calibration at the National Geodetic Survey

The precise point whose position is being measured when a GPS baseline is determined is generally assumed to be the phase center of the GPS antenna. However, the phase center of a GPS antenna is neither a physical point nor a stable point. For any given GPS antenna, the phase center will change with the changing direction of the signal from a satellite. Ideally, most of this phase center variation depends on satellite elevation. Azimuthal effects are only introduced by the local environment around each individual antenna site. These phase center variations affect the antenna offsets that are needed to connect GPS measurements to physical monuments. Ignoring these phase center variations can lead to serious (up to 10 cm) vertical errors. This article will describe the procedure by which the National Geodetic Survey is calibrating GPS antennas and how this information may be obtained and used to avoid problems from these antenna variations. ? 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Integrated adjustment of CHAMP, GRACE, and GPS data

Various types of observations, such as space-borne Global positioning system (GPS) code and phase data, accelerometer data, K-band range and range-rate data, and ground-based satellite laser ranging data of the CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and GRAvity Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite missions, are used together with ground-based GPS code and phase data in a rigorous adjustment to eventually solve for the ephemerides of the CHAMP, GRACE, and GPS satellites, geocenter variations, and low-degree gravity field parameters. It turns out that this integrated adjustment considerably improves the accuracy of the ephemerides for the high and low satellites, geocenter variations, and gravity field parameters, compared to the case when the adjustment is carried out stepwise or in individual satellite solutions.Acknowledgments. This study has been supported by the German Ministry of Education and Research through the Geotechnologies Programme grants 03F0333A/CHAMP and 03F0326A/GRACE.     

Tests of phase center variations of various GPS antennas, and some results

Phase variations of GPS receiving antennas are a significant error component in precise GPS applications. A calibration procedure has been developed by Geo++ and the Institut für Erdmessung, which directly determines absolute phase center variations (PCVs) without any multipath influence by field measurements. The precision and resolution of the procedure allows the determination of reliable azimuthal variations. PCV may affect long-term static GPS differently than real-time GPS, depending on the applications. At the same time, different antenna types are involved. Less investigations have been done on absolute PCV of rover antennas than on geodetic antennas which, however, becomes more important due to the mixed antenna situation in GPS reference networks and RTK networks. The concepts of the absolute PCV field calibration are summarized and emphasis is placed on a variety of absolute PCV patterns of geodetic and rover antennas. Electronic Publication     

Galileo校正卫星天线参数特性及对PPP定位的影响

与先期采用消电离层组合仅估计相位中心偏差(phase center offset, PCO)参数不同,欧洲的伽利略（Galileo）系统发布的地面校正的卫星天线参数基于原始频点,且包含天线相位中心变化(phase center variation, PCV)参数。为此,分析了校正的卫星天线参数特性,发现其水平向PCO与卫星类型相关,FOC(full operational capability)卫星的PCV参数较IOV(in-orbit validation)卫星稳定,仅依赖天底角。利用20个MGEX (multi-GNSS experiment)测站连续15 d的数据分析校正天线参数对双频组合/ 非组合精密单点定位（precise point positioning, PPP）的影响, 并与消电离层天线参数的定位结果比较,结果表明,其水平方向精度基本一致,双频组合PPP高程方向的精度提高约6.3%,双频非组合高程方向的精度提高约11.9%,基于原始频点的校正天线参数在双频非组合PPP定位中表现出更优的自洽性。     

GPS天线相位中心改正方法研究

由于天线本身的特性及机械加工等原因,GPS卫星和接收机天线相位中心与其几何中心不重合,从而产生相位中心偏差。某些类型的天线该偏差甚至可达数cm,直接影响高精度GPS测量的精确可靠性[1]。讨论了GAMIT软件在高精度GPS数据处理中进行天线相位中心改正的原理、方法和策略,结合美国IGS观测站及南加州区域站观测数据,对改正方法及策略进行了实验对比与分析。结果表明:对接收机天线相位中心和卫星天线相位中心采用模型改正,而卫星天线相位中心偏移不改正,所得到的基线解算结果较好[2];地面接收机天线方位角的变化对U方向的基线解算结果有较大影响,在高精度GPS测量中,必须进行天线方位角的变化改正。     

Analysis of high-frequency multipath in 1-Hz GPS kinematic solutions

High-frequency multipath would be problematic for studies at seismic or antenna dynamical frequencies as one could mistakenly interpret them as signals. A simple procedure to identify high-frequency multipath from global positioning system (GPS) time series records is presented. For this purpose, data from four GPS base stations are analyzed using spectral analyses techniques. Additional data, such as TEQC report files of L1 pseudorange multipath, are also used to analyze the high-frequency multipath and confirmation of the high-frequency multipath inferred from the phase records. Results show that this simple procedure is effective in identification of high-frequency multipath. The inferred information can aid interpretation of multipath at the GPS site, and is important for a number of reasons. For example, the information can be used to study GPS site selections and/or installations.

四大GNSS广播星历精度评估与对比分析

分析了 目前广播星历精度评估中存在的问题,详细论述了广播星历精度评估过程中对精密星历进行天线相位中心改正的取值方法,提出了利用单颗星单日钟差均值作二次差对广播星历钟差的系统性偏差进行改正的方法.选取2019-09-01-2019-11-01 共计62天的多模 GNSS 实验(multi-GNSS experiment,...     

Monitoring selective availability dither frequencies and their effect on GPS data

Summary The signals transmitted by Block II satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS) can be degraded to limit the highest accuracy of the system (10 m or better point positioning) to authorized users. This mode of degraded operation is called Selective Availability (S/A). S/A involves the degradation in the quality of broadcast orbits and satellite clock dithering. We monitored the dithered satellite oscillator and investigated the effect of this clock dithering on high accuracy relative positioning. The effect was studied over short 3-meter and zero-baselines with two GPS receivers. The equivalent S/A effects for baselines ranging from 0 to >10,000 km can be examined with short test baselines if the receiver clocks are deliberately mis-synchronized by a known and varying amount. Our results show that the maximum effect of satellite clock dithering on GPS double difference phase residuals grows as a function of the clock synchronization error according to: S/A _effect =0.04 cm/msec, and it increases as a function of baseline length like: S/A _effect =0.014 cm/100 km. These are equations for maximum observed values of post-fit residuals due to S/A. The effect on GPS baselines is likely to be smaller than the 0.14 mm for a baseline separation of 100 km. We therefore conclude, for our limited data set, and for the level of S/A during our tests, that S/A clock dithering has negligible effect on all terrestrial GPS baselines if double difference processing techniques are employed and if the GPS receivers remain synchronized to better than 10 msec. S/A may constitute a problem, however, if accurate point processing is required, or if GPS receivers are not synchronized. We suggest and test two different methods to monitor satellite frequency offsets due to S/A. S/A modulates GPS carrier frequencies in the range of-2 Hz to +2 Hz over time periods of several minutes. The methods used in this paper to measure the satellite clock dither could be applied by the civilian GPS community to continuously monitor S/A clock dithering. The monitored frequencies may aid high accuracy point positioning applications in a postprocessing mode (Malys and Ortiz 1989), and differential GPS with poorly synchronized receivers (Feigl et al. 1991).     

Site-specific multipath characteristics of global IGS and CORS GPS sites

The site-specific multipath characteristics of 217 Global Positioning System (GPS) sites worldwide were analyzed using the variability of the post-fit phase residuals. Because the GPS satellite constellation returns to the same configuration in a sidereal day (23 h 56 min 4 s), the multipath repeats on that period. However, daily GPS position estimates are usually based on the solar day. When several days of GPS data are processed, this steady change in the orientation of the satellite constellation with respect to the station manifests itself in the form of patterns in the post-fit phase residuals which shift by 3 min 56 s per day. It was found that the mean root mean square of the time-shifted post-fit phase residuals is highly dependent on the GPS antenna type. The conclusions derived from the analysis of the time-shifted post-fit residuals were verified by performing a cross-correlation of the post-fit residuals across many days for selected sites.     

Tracking and orbit determination performance of the GRAS instrument on MetOp-A

The global navigation satellite system receiver for atmospheric sounding (GRAS) on MetOp-A is the first European GPS receiver providing dual-frequency navigation and occultation measurements from a spaceborne platform on a routine basis. The receiver is based on ESA’s AGGA-2 correlator chip, which implements a high-quality tracking scheme for semi-codeless P(Y) code tracking on the L1 and L2 frequency. Data collected with the zenith antenna on MetOp-A have been used to perform an in-flight characterization of the GRAS instrument with focus on the tracking and navigation performance. Besides an assessment of the receiver noise and systematic measurement errors, the study addresses the precise orbit determination accuracy achievable with the GRAS receiver. A consistency on the 5 cm level is demonstrated for reduced dynamics orbit solutions computed independently by four different agencies and software packages. With purely kinematic solutions, 10 cm accuracy is obtained. As a part of the analysis, an empirical antenna offset correction and preliminary phase center correction map are derived, which notably reduce the carrier phase residuals and improve the consistency of kinematic orbit determination results.

GPS天线相位中心变化及测试

对GPS天线相位中心随卫星变化的情况及减小和消除天线相位中心误差的方法进行了阐述 ,并详细介绍了对两种型号GPS天线相位中心变化进行比较和测试的结果     

双频GPS天线相位中心稳定性研究

天线相位中心是GPS接收机测量时的参考点.相位中心并不是固定的,它会随不同的信号入射方向发生移动,移动幅度达几个毫米甚至几厘米.相位中心的变化直接影响GPS伪距和载波相位观测量的测量.为了更好地满足一些高精度测量的需要,相位中心的变化量在解算时必须考虑进去.本文对相位中心定义进行了解释,对GPS相位中心及其稳定性进行了分析,并对GPS天线相位中心的测量方法进行了阐述.对自主研制的双频GPS天线相位中心进行了测定,得出相位中心随俯仰角变化的曲线.     

The ionospheric eclipse factor method (IEFM) and its application to determining the ionospheric delay for GPS

A new method for modeling the ionospheric delay using global positioning system (GPS) data is proposed, called the ionospheric eclipse factor method (IEFM). It is based on establishing a concept referred to as the ionospheric eclipse factor (IEF) λ of the ionospheric pierce point (IPP) and the IEF’s influence factor (IFF) . The IEF can be used to make a relatively precise distinction between ionospheric daytime and nighttime, whereas the IFF is advantageous for describing the IEF’s variations with day, month, season and year, associated with seasonal variations of total electron content (TEC) of the ionosphere. By combining λ and with the local time t of IPP, the IEFM has the ability to precisely distinguish between ionospheric daytime and nighttime, as well as efficiently combine them during different seasons or months over a year at the IPP. The IEFM-based ionospheric delay estimates are validated by combining an absolute positioning mode with several ionospheric delay correction models or algorithms, using GPS data at an international Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) service (IGS) station (WTZR). Our results indicate that the IEFM may further improve ionospheric delay modeling using GPS data.     

GPS天线相位模型变化对高精度GPS测量解算的影响研究

GPS天线存在相位中心偏差,在高精度测量中必须对其进行补偿改正。本文针对GPS天线的两种改正模型:相对改正模型和绝对改正模型,在讨论了它们所具有的相同改正办法的基础上,分析了它们在测定方法上存在区别,最后通过一个算例分别研究了这两种模型对GPS测量解算精度的影响,得出了一些有意义的结论。     

Precise orbit determination of the Sentinel-3A altimetry satellite using ambiguity-fixed GPS carrier phase observations

The Sentinel-3 mission takes routine measurements of sea surface heights and depends crucially on accurate and precise knowledge of the spacecraft. Orbit determination with a targeted uncertainty of less than 2 cm in radial direction is supported through an onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite instrument, and a complementary laser retroreflector for satellite laser ranging. Within this study, the potential of ambiguity fixing for GPS-only precise orbit determination (POD) of the Sentinel-3 spacecraft is assessed. A refined strategy for carrier phase generation out of low-level measurements is employed to cope with half-cycle ambiguities in the tracking of the Sentinel-3 GPS receiver that have so far inhibited ambiguity-fixed POD solutions. Rather than explicitly fixing double-difference phase ambiguities with respect to a network of terrestrial reference stations, a single-receiver ambiguity resolution concept is employed that builds on dedicated GPS orbit, clock, and wide-lane bias products provided by the CNES/CLS (Centre National d’Études Spatiales/Collecte Localisation Satellites) analysis center of the International GNSS Service. Compared to float ambiguity solutions, a notably improved precision can be inferred from laser ranging residuals. These decrease from roughly 9 mm down to 5 mm standard deviation for high-grade stations on average over low and high elevations. Furthermore, the ambiguity-fixed orbits offer a substantially improved cross-track accuracy and help to identify lateral offsets in the GPS antenna or center-of-mass (CoM) location. With respect to altimetry, the improved orbit precision also benefits the global consistency of sea surface measurements. However, modeling of the absolute height continues to rely on proper dynamical models for the spacecraft motion as well as ground calibrations for the relative position of the altimeter reference point and the CoM.