Wide-angle airborne laser range data analysis for relative height determination of ground-based benchmarks

 A wide-angle airborne laser ranging system has been developed for the determination of relative heights of ground-based benchmarks in regional-scale networks (typically 100 laser reflectors spread over 100 km²). A first prototype demonstrated a 1–2 mm accuracy in radial distance measurement in a ground-based experiment in 1995. The first aircraft experiment was conducted in 1998, over a small area (1 km²) equipped with a network of 64 benchmarks. The instrument was modified before that experiment, in order to minimize echo superimposition due to the high density of benchmarks. New data processing algorithms have been developed, for the deconvolution of strongly overlapped echoes and a high a priori uncertainty in the aircraft flight path, and for the estimation of benchmark coordinates. A special methodology has been developed for the parameterization of these algorithms and of outlier detection tests. From a total of 2×10⁴ pseudo-range measurements, that have been acquired from two flights composed of 30 legs each, only 3×10³ remain after outlier detection. A positioning accuracy of 1.5 cm in the vertical coordinate (2.1 cm in the difference between the two flights) has been achieved. It is shown that the errors are normally distributed, with a nearly zero mean, and are consistent with the a posteriori uncertainty. It is also shown that the accuracy is limited mainly by the sensitivity of the photodetector used for this experiment (due to reduced response time). Another limiting factor is the effect of aircraft attitude changes during the measurements, which produces additional uncertainties in absolute distance measurements. It is planned to test new photodetectors with high internal gains. These should provide, in future experiments with smaller benchmark density, an improvement in signal-to-noise ratio of a factor of 5–10, leading to sub-centimeter vertical positioning accuracy. Received: 19 June 2001 / Accepted: 3 January 2002     

Apropos laser tracking to GPS satellites

. Laser tracking to GPS satellites (PRN5 and 6) provides an opportunity to compare GPS and laser systems directly and to combine data of both in a single solution. A few examples of this are given in this study. The most important results of the analysis are that (1) daily SLR station coordinate solutions could be generated with a few cm accuracy; (2) coordinates of nine stations were determined in a 2.3-year-long arc solution; (3) the contribution of laser data on the `SLR-GPS' combined orbit, resulting from the simultaneous processing of SLR and GPS data, is significant and (4) laser-only orbits have an accuracy of 10–20 cm, 1-day predictions of SLR orbits differ from IGS orbits by about 20–40 cm, 2-day predictions by 50–60 cm. Received: 1 October 1996 / Accepted: 14 February 1997     

Remote detection of fluid-related diagenetic mineralogical variations in the Wingate Sandstone at different spatial and spectral resolutions

Well-exposed eolian units of the Jurassic system on the Colorado Plateau including the Wingate Sandstone, show prominent color variations throughout southeastern Utah due to diagenetic changes that include precipitation and/or removal of iron oxide, clay, and carbonate cement. Spatially variable characteristic diagenetic changes suggest fluid-rock interactions through the sandstone. Distinctive spectral signatures of diagenetic minerals can be used to map diagenetic mineral variability and possibly fluid-flow pathways. The main objective of this work was to identify characteristic diagenetic minerals, and map their spatial variability from regional to outcrop scale in Wingate Sandstone exposures of Lisbon Valley, Utah. Laboratory reflectance spectroscopy analysis of the samples facilitated identification of diagnostic spectral characteristics of the common diagenetic minerals and their relative abundances between altered and unaltered Wingate Sandstone. Comparison of reflectance spectroscopy with satellite, airborne, and ground-based imaging spectroscopy data provided a method for mapping and evaluating spatial variations of diagenetic minerals. The Feature-oriented Principal Component Selection method was used on Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer data so as to map common mineral groups throughout the broader Wingate Sandstone exposure in the area. The Minimum Noise Fraction and Spectral Angle Mapper methods were applied on airborne HyMap and ground-based hyperspectral imaging data to identify and map mineralogical changes. The satellite and airborne data showed that out of 25.55 km² total exposure of Wingate Sandstone in Lisbon Valley, unaltered sandstone cover 12.55 km², and altered sandstone cover 8.90 km² in the northwest flank and 5.09 km² in the southern flank of the anticline. The ground-based hyperspectral data demonstrated the ability to identify and map mineral assemblages with two-dimensional lateral continuity on near-vertical rock faces. The results showed that 39.71% of the scanned outcrop is bleached and 20.60% is unbleached while 6.33% remain unclassified, and 33.36% is masked-out as vegetation. The bleached and unbleached areas are alternating throughout the vertical face of the outcrop. The relative hematite abundance observed in the unbleached areas are somewhat symmetrical. This indicates fairly similar reaction intensities along the upper and lower reaction fronts observed in the vertical section. The distribution geometry and relative abundances of diagenetic minerals not only suggest multiple paths of fluid-flow in Wingate Sandstone but also provides some insight about relative direction of past fluid-flow.     

Accuracy analysis of vertical deflection data observed with the Hannover Digital Zenith Camera System TZK2-D

This paper analyses the accuracy of vertical deflection measurements carried out with the Digital Zenith Camera System TZK2-D, an astrogeodetic state-of-the-art instrumentation developed at the University of Hannover. During 107 nights over a period of 3.5 years, the system was used for repeated vertical deflection observations at a selected station in Hannover. The acquired data set consists of about 27,300 single measurements and covers 276 h of observation time, respectively. For the data collected at an earlier stage of development (2003 to 2004), the accuracy of the nightly mean values has been found to be about 0′′.10−0′′.12. Due to applying a refined observation strategy since 2005, the accuracy of the vertical deflection measurements was enhanced into the unprecedented range of 0′′.05 − 0′′.08. Accessing the accuracy level of 0′′.05 requires usually 1 h of observational data, while the 0′′.08 accuracy level is attained after 20 min measurement time. In comparison to the analogue era of geodetic astronomy, the accuracy of vertical deflection observations is significantly improved by about one order of magnitude.     

Precise surface topography of the grounded ice ridges at the Ekströmisen, Antarctica, based on several geophysical data sets

As part of the CryoSat Cal/Val activities and the pre-site survey for an ice core drilling contributing to the International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS), ground-based kinematic GPS measurements were conducted in early 2007 in the hinterland of the German overwintering station Neumayer (8.25 W,70.65 S). The investigated area comprises the regions of the ice ridges Halvfarryggen and Søråsen, which rise from the Ekströmisen to a maximum of about 760 m surface elevation, and have an areal extent of about 100 km×50 km each. Available digital elevation models (DEMs) from radar altimetry and the Antarctic Digital Database show elevation differences of up to hundreds of meters in this region, which necessitated an accurate survey of the conditions on-site. An improved DEM of the Ekströmisen surroundings is derived by a combination of highly accurate ground-based GPS measurements, satellite derived laser altimetry data (ICESat), airborne radar altimetry (ARA), and radio echo sounding (RES). The DEM presented here achieves a vertical accuracy of about 1.3 m and can be used for improved ice dynamic modelling and mass balance studies.     

VLBI data analysis with the GEOSAT software

The GEOSAT software for satellite geodetic and geodynamics applications has lately been extended to Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) applications. Geodetic VLBI data have been analyzed using this software and station coordinates and velocities, source coordinates, and earth orientation parameters have been derived in a global mode using data from the Extended Research and Development Experiment (ERDE) and the Research and Development series (R&D) within the NASA's CDP.It is demonstrated using the ERDE data, that the program is capable of calculating station coordinates with an accuracy of a few mm in the local horizontal plane and about 7 mm in the vertical direction. Analysis of the R&D dataset yields errors 2 to 3 times higher in all directions.     

Impact of GPS satellite and pseudolite geometry on structural deformation monitoring: analytical and empirical studies

Global positioning systems (GPS) have in recent years been increasingly used to monitor the deformations of large structures, particularly the deflections of long suspension bridges. When appropriately employed, and with the presence of a strong satellite geometry, GPS can supply timely and accurate structural deformation information. However, the three-dimensional (3-D) positioning accuracies in a local coordinate system are uneven. For instance, the vertical component of 3-D coordinates is less accurate than the horizontal component. In addition, GPS satellite availability tends to be a function of the latitude of the observation site and its surrounding obstructions. As a consequence, the accuracy of the north–south component is typically worse than that of the east–west component in mid-latitude areas (>45), and in some of the worst situations the horizontal positioning accuracy could even degrade to the same level as that of the vertical component. With such measurements it might not be possible to correctly interpret the real structural deformations. Furthermore, an insufficient number of satellites, caused by signal obstruction, could make it impossible to use GPS alone for kinematic positioning, even when integrated with other sensors such as triaxial accelerometers. With the aim of improving 3-D positioning accuracies for the monitoring of structural deflections, especially in vertical and northern directions, the optimal location selection of an array of ground-based pseudolites to augment GPS satellite geometry using an analytical simulation technique proposed by the authors is considered. Achievable 3-D positioning accuracies are estimated by simulating a real bridge deformation scenario using augmented transmitter geometry and compared with actual positioning accuracies calculated from the measurements gathered from a bridge trial. The results show that with an augmented satellite geometry and multipath mitigation it is possible to achieve uniform 3-D positioning accuracies of a few millimetres.     

Precise alpine geoid determination without digital terrain models

The short wavelength geoid undulations, caused by topography, amount to several decimeters in mountainous areas. Up to now these effects are computed by means of digital terrain models in a grid of 100–500m. However, for many countries these data are not yet available or their collection is too expensive. This problem can be overcome by considering the special behaviour of the gravity potential along mountain slopes. It is shown that 90 per cent of the topographic effects are represented by a simple summation formula, based on the average height differences and distances between valleys and ridges along the geoid profiles, δN=[30.H.D.+16.(H−H′).D] in mm/km, (error<10%), whereH, H′, D are estimated in a map to the nearest 0.2km. The formula is valid for asymmetric sides of valleys (H, H′) and can easily be corrected for special shapes. It can be used for topographic refinement of low resolution geoids and for astrogeodetic projects. The “slope method” was tested in two alpine areas (heights up to 3800m, astrogeodetic deflection points every 170km ²) and resulted in a geoid accuracy of ±3cm. In first order triangulation networks (astro points every 1000km ²) or for gravimetric deflections the accuracy is about 10cm per 30km. Since a map scale of 1∶500.000 is sufficient, the method is suitable for developing countries, too.     

Assessment of groundwater potential zones using GIS technique

A case study was conducted to find out the groundwater potential zones in Kattakulathur block, Tamil Nadu, India with an aerial extent of 360.60 km². The thematic maps such as geology, geomorphology, soil hydrological group, land use / land cover and drainage map were prepared for the study area. The Digital Elevation Model (DEM) has been generated from the 10 m interval contour lines (which is derived from SOI, Toposheet 1:25000 scale) and obtained the slope (%) of the study area. The groundwater potential zones were obtained by overlaying all the thematic maps in terms of weighted overlay methods using the spatial analysis tool in ArcGIS 9.2. During weighted overlay analysis, the ranking has been given for each individual parameter of each thematic map and weights were assigned according to the influence such as soil −25%, geomorphology − 25%, land use/land cover −25%, slope − 15%, lineament − 5% and drainage / streams − 5% and find out the potential zones in terms of good, moderate and poor zones with the area of 49.70 km², 261.61 km² and 46.04 km² respectively. The potential zone wise study area was overlaid with village boundary map and the village wise groundwater potential zones with three categories such as good, moderate and poor zones were obtained. This GIS based output result was validated by conducting field survey by randomly selecting wells in different villages using GPS instruments. The coordinates of each well location were obtained by GPS and plotted in the GIS platform and it was clearly shown that the well coordinates were exactly seated with the classified zones.     

Indirect approach to invariant point determination for SLR and VLBI systems: an assessment

We assess the accuracy of some indirect approaches to invariant point (IVP), or system reference point, determination of satellite laser ranging (SLR) and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) systems using both observed and simulated survey data sets. Indirect IVP determination involves the observation of targets located on these systems during specific rotational sequences and by application of geometrical models that describe the target motion during these sequences. Of concern is that most SLR and VLBI systems have limited rotational freedom thereby placing constraint on the reliability of parameter estimation, including the IVP position. We assess two current approaches to IVP analysis using survey data observed at the Yarragadee (Australia) SLR and the Medicina (Italy) VLBI sites and also simulated data of a large rotationally constrained (azimuth-elevation) VLBI system. To improve reliability we introduce and assess some new geometric conditions, including inter-axis, inter-circle and inter-target conditions, to existing IVP analysis strategies. The error component of a local tie specifically associated with the indirect determination of SLR and VLBI IVP is less than 0.5 mm. For systems with significant rotational limits we find that the inter-axis and inter-circle conditions are critical to the computation of unbiased IVP coordinates at the sub-millimetre level. When the inter-axis and inter-circle geometric conditions are not imposed, we retrieve biased vertical coordinates of the IVP (in our simulated VLBI system) in the range of 1.2–3.4 mm. Using the new geometric conditions we also find that the axis-offset estimates can be recovered at the sub- millimetre accuracy (0.5 mm).     

Distribution of vertical crustal movement rates in the Tohoku district, Japan, predicted by least-squares collocation

Least-squares prediction using an empirically deduced local covariance function was performed to investigate the temporal change in the rates of vertical crustal movements in the Tohoku district, Japan. Levelling data covering an area of approximately 450 × 275 km² observed between 1966 and 1995 were used and the results shown in the form of contour maps. Firstly we derived a covariance function of the rates of vertical crustal movement with a Gaussian form function. We used this function to estimate the spatial distribution of the rates of vertical crustal movements. By the present method, a steady tilt of the Tohoku district to the east, toward the Japan Trench and an areal uplift in the southwestern part were well reproduced. Moreover, a significant temporal change in vertical movement rates is clearly seen. Received: 15 July 1996      

Assessing consistency of Chang’E-1 and SELENE reference frames using nearly-colocated laser altimetry footprint positions

The consistency of the Chang’E-1 and SELENE reference frames as realized by the footprint positions of laser altimetry measurements of the lunar surface during both missions was analyzed using a global 12-parameter model for small (with respect to unity) deformations and rigid body motions. The rigid body motion and deformation parameters between the two reference frames estimated from nearly-colocated without tie measurements are found to be consistent, i.e., nearly zero for the estimates of the translations, rotations and shear parameters. However, the estimated three strain parameters, which are similar in magnitude and sign, reveal a prominent scale difference, between the Chang’E-1 and SELENE reference frames, of about 0.9 × 10⁻⁵. The scale difference can be attributed to calibration of the data sets using the known coordinates of the lunar laser ranging stations all located on the near side of the Moon.     

云南及周边地区GNSS数据处理方法优化

采用麻省理工学院开发的GAMIT／GLOBK软件,将2015年-2016年全球347个IGS站观测数据分七个子网解算,得到一个固定的参考框架来解算云南及周边地区的35个全球卫星导航系统（GNSS）基准站的坐标,测站坐标均方根误差水平方向在0.7 mm以内,垂直方向在0.3 mm以内,水平方向的坐标重复性精度在5 mm以内,垂向坐标的重复性精度大多数在2.5 cm以内;与在ITRF2014下解算的测站坐标、基线长度、水平速度场结果对比表明:测站坐标存在系统误差,水平方向上的差异在8.5 mm以内,垂直方向上在3 cm以内;基线长度差异在2 mm以内,水平速度场在数值上存在毫米级的差异,方向上基本一致．      

Astronomical-topographic levelling using high-precision astrogeodetic vertical deflections and digital terrain model data

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a technological change took place in geodetic astronomy by the development of Digital Zenith Camera Systems (DZCS). Such instruments provide vertical deflection data at an angular accuracy level of 0.̋1 and better. Recently, DZCS have been employed for the collection of dense sets of astrogeodetic vertical deflection data in several test areas in Germany with high-resolution digital terrain model (DTM) data (10–50 m resolution) available. These considerable advancements motivate a new analysis of the method of astronomical-topographic levelling, which uses DTM data for the interpolation between the astrogeodetic stations. We present and analyse a least-squares collocation technique that uses DTM data for the accurate interpolation of vertical deflection data. The combination of both data sets allows a precise determination of the gravity field along profiles, even in regions with a rugged topography. The accuracy of the method is studied with particular attention on the density of astrogeodetic stations. The error propagation rule of astronomical levelling is empirically derived. It accounts for the signal omission that increases with the station spacing. In a test area located in the German Alps, the method was successfully applied to the determination of a quasigeoid profile of 23 km length. For a station spacing from a few 100 m to about 2 km, the accuracy of the quasigeoid was found to be about 1–2 mm, which corresponds to a relative accuracy of about 0.05−0.1 ppm. Application examples are given, such as the local and regional validation of gravity field models computed from gravimetric data and the economic gravity field determination in geodetically less covered regions.     

Temporal correlation for network RTK positioning

Temporal correlation in network real-time kinematic (RTK) data exists due to unmodeled multipath and atmospheric errors, in combination with slowly changing satellite constellation. If this correlation is neglected, the estimated uncertainty of the coordinates might be too optimistic. In this study, we compute temporal correlation lengths for network RTK positioning, i.e., the appropriate time separation between the measurements. This leads to more realistic coordinate uncertainty estimates, and an appropriate surveying strategy to control the measurements can be designed. Two methods to estimate temporal correlation lengths are suggested. Several monitor stations that utilize correction data from two SWEPOS^TM Network RTK services, a standard service and a project-adapted service with the mean distance between the reference stations of approximately 70 and 10–20 km, are evaluated. The correlation lengths for the standard service are estimated as 17 min for the horizontal component and 36–37 min for the vertical component. The corresponding estimates for the project-adapted service are 13–17 and 13–16 min, respectively. According to the F test, the proposed composite first-order Gauss–Markov autocovariance function shows a significantly better least-squared fit to data compared to the commonly used one-component first-order Gauss–Markov model. A second suggested method is proposed that has the potential of providing robust correlation lengths without the need to fit a model to the computed autocovariance function.     

Geostatistical incorporation of spatial coordinates into supervised classification of hyperspectral data

 This paper presents a methodology to incorporate both hyperspectral properties and spatial coordinates of pixels in maximum likelihood classification. Indicator kriging of ground data is used to estimate, for each pixel, the prior probabilities of occurrence of classes which are then combined with spectral-based probabilities within a Bayesian framework. In the case study (mapping of in-stream habitats), accounting for spatial coordinates increases the overall producer's accuracy from 85.8% to 93.8%, while the Kappa statistic rises from 0.74 to 0.88. Best results are obtained using only indicator kriging-based probabilities, with a stunning overall accuracy of 97.2%. Significant improvements are observed for environmentally important units, such as pools (Kappa: 0.17 to 0.74) and eddy drop zones (Kappa: 0.65 to 0.87). The lack of benefit of using hyperspectral information in the present study can be explained by the dense network of ground observations and the high spatial continuity of field classification which might be spurious. Received: 12 April 2001 / Accepted: 7 September 2001     

A unified approach to self-calibration of terrestrial laser scanners

In recent years, the method of self-calibration widely used in photogrammetry has been found suitable for the estimation of systematic errors in terrestrial laser scanners. Since high correlations can be present between the estimated parameters, ways to reduce them have to be found. This paper presents a unified approach to self-calibration of terrestrial laser scanners, where the parameters in a least-squares adjustment are treated as observations by assigning appropriate weights to them. The higher these weights are the lower the parameter correlations are expected to be. Self-calibration of a pulsed laser scanner Leica Scan Station was performed with the unified approach. The scanner position and orientation were determined during the measurements with the help of a total station, and the point clouds were directly georeferenced. The significant systematic errors were zero error in the laser rangefinder and vertical circle index error. Most parameter correlations were comparatively low. In part, precise knowledge of the horizontal coordinates of the scanner centre helped greatly to achieve low correlation between these parameters and the zero error. The approach was shown to be advantageous to the use of adjustment with stochastic (weighted) inner constraints where the parameter correlations were higher. At the same time, the collimation error could not be estimated reliably due to its high correlation with the scanner azimuth because of a limited vertical distribution of the targets in the calibration field. While this problem can be solved for a scanner with a nearly spherical field-of-view, it will complicate the calibration of scanners with limited vertical field-of-view. Investigations into the influence of precision of the scanner position and levelling on the adjustment results lead to two important findings. First, it is not necessary to level the scanner during the measurements when using the unified approach since the parameter correlations are relatively low anyway. Second, the scanner position has to be known with a precision of about 1 mm in order to get a reliable estimate of the zero error.     

联合多种测高数据确定中国边缘海及全球海域的垂线偏差

On the basis of gravity field model （EIGEN_CG01C）, together with multi-altimeter data, the improved deflection of the vertical gridded in 2＇×2＇ in China marginal sea and gridded in 5＇×5＇ in the global sea was determined by using the weighted method of along-track least squares, and the accuracy is better than 1.2^# in China marginal sea. As for the quality of the deflection of the vertical, it meets the challenge for the gravity field of high resolution and accuracy, it shows that, compared with the shipboard gravimetry in the sea, the accuracy of the gravity anomalies computed with the marine deflection of the vertical by inverse Vening-Meinesz formula is 7.75 m.s ^-2.     

西龙池上水库GPS变形监测系统研究及实现

为了实现对西龙池上水库变形的连续、自动化监测,研制了GPS变形监测软件DDMS,建立了西龙池上水库连续运行监测系统。1a的运行表明,系统具有较高的稳定性,DDMS在观测数据无缺失的情况下,提供有效解的概率高于98%。该软件2h时段解在N、E、U方向的重复性分别为1.2mm、0.9mm、2.2mm,4h时段解算N、E、U方向的重复性为0.8mm、0.7mm、1.5mm。利用本文实现的GPS监测系统可进行高效率的实时、自动化、高精度大坝变形监测。     

基于BDS的广东省坐标框架建立及精度分析

利用广东省BDS地基增强系统中的北斗观测数据,采用武汉大学高精度GNSS数据处理软件PANDA,实现了广东省BDS基准站网的高精度坐标解算,重复性精度指标为平面方向0.37 cm,高程方向0.74 cm。基于该结果建立的以BDS基准站网为主的广东省坐标框架,与GPS建立的坐标框架对比发现,平面及高程方向精度分别为0.50 cm、0.94 cm、满足国家二等控制网平面方向5 mm、高程方向10 mm、相对精度不低于1×10-7的精度要求。