Studying the Ephemeris Effect on Position Accuracy Based on Criteria Applied to Baseline Lengths by New MATLAB Program (NMP)

Abstract

Although the Relative Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning technique provides high accuracy, it has several drawbacks. The scarcity of control points, the long baselines, and using of ultra-rabid and rabid products increased position errors. This study has designed a New MATLAB Program that helps users automatically select suitable IGS stations related to the baseline lengths and the azimuth between GNSS points and IGS stations. This study presented criteria for the length of the baselines used in Egypt and an advanced estimated accuracy before starting the project. The experimental test studies the performance of the position accuracy related to the relation between three factors: observation session, final, rabid, and ultra-rabid products, and the baseline lengths. Ground control point mediates Egypt was selected as a test point. Nine surrounding IGS stations were selected as reference stations, and the coordinates of the tested point were calculated based on them. Baselines between the tested point and the IGS stations were classified regarding proposal criteria. The coordinates of the tested point were obtained in different observation sessions (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7.5 h). The results indicated that the lengths of the baseline in Egypt were classified short (less than 600 km), medium (600–1,200 km), and long (greater than 1,200 km) and required a minimum observation time of 4, 5, and 7 h to obtain accuracy 10, 19, 48 mm sequentially. The position accuracy was superior for the rapid and the final than the ultra-rapid products by 16%. A short baseline was at the best case; there was a performance in position accuracy with a 57% deduction in observation time compared with the long baseline.