Estimation of GPS transmitter antenna phase center offsets by integrating space-based GPS observations

Huang, Wen; Männel, Benjamin; Brack, Andreas; Ge, Maorong; Schuh, Harald

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2022.01.004

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Steigenberger et al 2019). As also reported by Huang et al (2022), this causes problems with some LEO GPS receivers (e.g., GRACE-FO), resulting in a slightly degraded quality of the orbit and gravity field solutions in this study.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Gravity Field Time Seriesmentioning

confidence: 58%

Determination and Combination of Monthly Gravity Field Time Series from Kinematic Orbits of GRACE, GRACE-FO and Swarm

Grombein

Lasser

Arnold

et al. 2022

International Association of Geodesy Symposia

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Dedicated gravity field missions like GRACE and GRACE-FO use ultra-precise inter-satellite ranging observations to derive time series of monthly gravity field solutions. In addition, any (non-dedicated) Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellite with a dual-frequency GNSS receiver may also serve as a gravity field sensor. To this end, GPS-derived kinematic LEO orbit positions are used as pseudo-observations for gravity field recovery. Although less sensitive, this technique can provide valuable information for the monitoring of large-scale time-variable gravity signals, particularly for those months where no inter-satellite ranging measurements are available. Due to a growing number of LEO satellites that collect continuous and mostly uninterrupted GPS data, the value of a combined multi-LEO gravity field time series is likely to increase in the near future.In this paper, we present monthly gravity field time series derived from GPS-based kinematic orbit positions of the GRACE, GRACE-FO and Swarm missions. We analyze their individual contribution as well as the additional benefit of their combination. For this purpose, two combination strategies at solution level are studied that are based on(i) least-squares variance component estimation, and(ii) stochastic properties of the gravity field solutions.By evaluating mass variations in Greenland and the Amazon river basin, the resulting gravity field time series are assessed with respect to superior solutions based on inter-satellite ranging.

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Section: Characteristics Of Gravity Field Time Seriesmentioning

confidence: 58%

Determination and Combination of Monthly Gravity Field Time Series from Kinematic Orbits of GRACE, GRACE-FO and Swarm

Grombein

Lasser

Arnold

et al. 2022

International Association of Geodesy Symposia

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“…Moreover, the long-term available data of historical and operating LEOs can be used for the estimation of the GPS PCOs backwards in time. Recent studies by Glaser et al (2020) and Huang et al (2022) confirmed a one-millimeter accuracy requirement for the receiver PCO position on board the LEOs.…”

Section: Gnss Antenna Phase Center Calibrationmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…A totally independent method to estimate scale-free GNSS PCOs is given via the usage of space-based GNSS observations and the gravitational constraints from the orbital dynamics of the corresponding low Earth orbiter (Huang et al 2022). The high consistency between the LEO-based and the Galileo-based approaches has been shown by Huang et al (2021).…”

Section: Gnss Antenna Phase Center Calibrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the antennas of GENESIS will be fully calibrated together with the entire satellite structure, this mission offers a pure absolute reference for a precise and consistent calibration of the transmit antennas of all GNSS satellites, including Galileo and BeiDou. The orbiting geodetic observatory thus offers the possibility to determine consistent GNSS transmit phase patterns without relying on a scale from external sources, thus providing GNSS with the capability to contribute independently to the realization of the scale of the terrestrial reference frame (Bar-Sever et al 2009;Huang et al 2022). Additionally, the geometry between GEN-ESIS and a GNSS satellite allows scanning the transmitting antenna pattern within a short time and up to nadir angles of 30 • .…”

Section: Gnss Antenna Phase Center Calibrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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GENESIS: co-location of geodetic techniques in space

Delva

Altamimi

Blazquez

et al. 2023

Earth Planets Space

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Improving and homogenizing time and space reference systems on Earth and, more specifically, realizing the Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) with an accuracy of 1 mm and a long-term stability of 0.1 mm/year are relevant for many scientific and societal endeavors. The knowledge of the TRF is fundamental for Earth and navigation sciences. For instance, quantifying sea level change strongly depends on an accurate determination of the geocenter motion but also of the positions of continental and island reference stations, such as those located at tide gauges, as well as the ground stations of tracking networks. Also, numerous applications in geophysics require absolute millimeter precision from the reference frame, as for example monitoring tectonic motion or crustal deformation, contributing to a better understanding of natural hazards. The TRF accuracy to be achieved represents the consensus of various authorities, including the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), which has enunciated geodesy requirements for Earth sciences. Moreover, the United Nations Resolution 69/266 states that the full societal benefits in developing satellite missions for positioning and Remote Sensing of the Earth are realized only if they are referenced to a common global geodetic reference frame at the national, regional and global levels. Today we are still far from these ambitious accuracy and stability goals for the realization of the TRF. However, a combination and co-location of all four space geodetic techniques on one satellite platform can significantly contribute to achieving these goals. This is the purpose of the GENESIS mission, a component of the FutureNAV program of the European Space Agency. The GENESIS platform will be a dynamic space geodetic observatory carrying all the geodetic instruments referenced to one another through carefully calibrated space ties. The co-location of the techniques in space will solve the inconsistencies and biases between the different geodetic techniques in order to reach the TRF accuracy and stability goals endorsed by the various international authorities and the scientific community. The purpose of this paper is to review the state-of-the-art and explain the benefits of the GENESIS mission in Earth sciences, navigation sciences and metrology. This paper has been written and supported by a large community of scientists from many countries and working in several different fields of science, ranging from geophysics and geodesy to time and frequency metrology, navigation and positioning. As it is explained throughout this paper, there is a very high scientific consensus that the GENESIS mission would deliver exemplary science and societal benefits across a multidisciplinary range of Navigation and Earth sciences applications, constituting a global infrastructure that is internationally agreed to be strongly desirable. Graphical Abstract

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Extending the GPS IIIA antenna calibration for precise orbit determination of low Earth orbit satellites

Conrad

Desai

Haines

et al. 2023

J Geod

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High-precision applications of GNSS require accurate calibrations to correct for phase variations of the transmitting antennas. Calibrations distributed by the International GNSS Service (IGS), based upon observations from the global network of ground stations, are often used as the source of the transmitter calibrations as they are inherently linked to a specific definition of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame. The IGS provides antenna phase variations as a function of boresight angle for each basic block of navigation satellite. To support scientific missions operating in low Earth orbit, the antenna calibrations must be extended beyond the 14-degrees limit that can be observed by GNSS receivers on the Earth. Extended antenna calibrations to accommodate low Earth orbiting satellites have already been derived for the GPS Block II satellites. This paper derives an extension solution for the new GPS IIIA antenna calibration, based on a year of observations from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich altimetry mission and validated using Jason-3. These solutions are inherently consistent with the IGS-provided models of the Block II antenna calibrations. We use the new model for the GPS IIIA transmitter antenna calibration extensions to evaluate the impact on precise orbit solutions of both Sentinel-6 MF and Jason-3.

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Estimation of GPS transmitter antenna phase center offsets by integrating space-based GPS observations

Cited by 5 publications

References 34 publications

Determination and Combination of Monthly Gravity Field Time Series from Kinematic Orbits of GRACE, GRACE-FO and Swarm

Determination and Combination of Monthly Gravity Field Time Series from Kinematic Orbits of GRACE, GRACE-FO and Swarm

GENESIS: co-location of geodetic techniques in space

Extending the GPS IIIA antenna calibration for precise orbit determination of low Earth orbit satellites

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