Initial accuracy and reliability of current BDS-3 precise positioning,velocity estimation,and time transfer (PVT)

The primary system of Chinese global BeiDou satellite system (BDS-3) was completed to provide global services on December 27, 2018; this was a key milestone in the development process for BDS in terms of its provision of global services. Therefore, this study analyzed the current performance of BDS-3, including its precise positioning, velocity estimation, and time transfer (PVT). The datasets were derived from international GNSS monitoring and assessment system (iGMAS) tracking networks and the two international time laboratories in collaboration with the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). With respect to the positioning, the focus is on the real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning and precise point positioning (PPP) modes with static and kinematic scenarios. The results show that the mean available satellite number is 4.8 for current BDS-3 system at short baseline XIA1–XIA3. The RTK accuracy for three components is generally within cm level; the 3D mean accuracy is 8.9 mm for BDS-3 solutions. For the PPP scenarios, the convergence time is about 4 h for TP01 and BRCH stations in two scenarios. After the convergence, the horizontal positioning accuracy is better than cm level and the vertical accuracy nearly reaches the 1 dm level. With respect to kinematic scenarios, the accuracy stays at the cm level for horizontal components and dm level for the vertical component at two stations. In terms of velocity estimation, the horizontal accuracy stays at a sub-mm level, and the vertical accuracy is better than 2 mm/s in the BDS-3 scenario, even in the Arctic. In terms of time and frequency transfer, the noise level of BDS-3 time links can reach 0.096 ns for long-distances link NT01–TP02 and 0.016 ns for short-distance links TP01–TP02. Frequency stability reaches 5E–14 accuracy when the averaging time is within 10,000 s for NT01–TP02 and 1E–15 for TP01–TP02.     

GSFC DORIS contribution to ITRF2008

The NASA GSFC DORIS analysis center has provided weekly DORIS solutions from November 1992 to January 2009 (839 SINEX files) of station positions and Earth Orientation Parameters for inclusion in the DORIS contribution to ITRF2008. The NASA GSFC GEODYN orbit determination software was used to process the orbits and produce the normal equations. The weekly SINEX gscwd10 submissions included DORIS data from Envisat, TOPEX/Poseidon, SPOT-2, SPOT-3, SPOT-4, SPOT-5. The orbits were mostly seven days in length (except for weeks with data gaps or maneuvers). The processing used the GRACE-derived EIGEN-GL04S1 gravity model, updated modeling for time-variable gravity, the GOT4.7 ocean tide model and tuned satellite-specific macromodels for SPOT-2, SPOT-3, SPOT-4, SPOT-5 and TOPEX/Poseidon. The University College London (UCL) radiation pressure model for Envisat improves nonconservative force modeling for this satellite, reducing the median residual empirical daily along-track accelerations from 3.75 × 10⁻⁹ m/s² with the a priori macromodel to 0.99 × 10⁻⁹ m/s² with the UCL model. For the SPOT and Envisat DORIS satellite orbits from 2003 to 2008, we obtain average RMS overlaps of 0.8–0.9 cm in the radial direction, 2.1–3.4 cm cross-track, and 1.7–2.3 cm along-track. The RMS orbit differences between Envisat DORIS-only and SLR & DORIS orbits are 1.1 cm radially, 6.4 cm along-track and 3.7 cm cross-track and are characterized by systematic along-track mean offsets due to the Envisat DORIS system time bias of ±5–10 μs. We obtain a good agreement between the geometrically-determined geocenter parameters and geocenter parameters determined dynamically from analysis of the degree one terms of the geopotential. The intrinsic RMS weekly position repeatability with respect to the IDS-3 combination ranges from 2.5 to 3.0 cm in 1993–1994 to 1.5 cm in 2007–2008.     

Impact of DORIS ground antennas environment on their radio signal quality

Among the factors which may disrupt the DORIS measurements quality, the ground antennas environment is of high importance. For a set of 15 selected DORIS beacon, the differences between the effective and theoretical power received on-board the satellites (SPOT-5 and Envisat) have been analyzed in terms of spatial direction around the antenna. Such antenna maps have also been established regarding the Doppler residuals of the least-square precise orbit adjustment. Thanks to 360° views from the antennas and aerial views of the sites, the impact of the signal obstructions (trees, roofs, antennas …) on power attenuation and Doppler residuals is discussed. Depending on the nature of the obstructed object, the attenuation level can reach more than 5 dB, and the residual RMS of the orbit adjustment may be doubled from the nominal value, reaching 1 mm/s locally. The nature of the ground at the foot of the antennas has been correlated to DORIS signal quality at high elevation: reflections on flat surfaces (e.g. roofs) affect the signal more significantly than reflections on natural ground (e.g. soil). In particular, a modeling of the multipath phenomenon affecting Fairbanks site has been established and fits remarkably with the observations. Finally, an evaluation of the direct impact of obstructing objects on the orbit has also been performed. The example of a scaffolding at Kauai site displays a few millimeters error in the along-track position of the satellite.     

New improved orbit solutions for the ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites

Improved orbit solutions of the European Remote Sensing Satellites ERS-1 and ERS-2 have been computed in the ITRF2005 terrestrial reference frame using the recent models based mainly on IERS Conventions 2003. These solutions cover the periods 3 August 1991 to 8 July 1996 for ERS-1, and 3 May 1995 to 4 July 2003 for ERS-2. For each satellite, the final orbit solution is based on a combination of three separate orbit solutions independently computed at the Delft Institute of Earth Observation and Space Systems (DEOS) of the Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands), the Navigation Support Office of the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC, Germany) and the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences (Germany) using three different software packages for precise orbit determination, but using the same models in the same terrestrial reference frame within the European Space Agency (ESA) project ‘Reprocessing of Altimeter Products for ERS (REAPER)’. Validation using radar altimeter data indicates that the new combined orbits of ERS-1 and ERS-2 computed by us are significantly more accurate, approaching the 2–3 cm level in radial direction, than previously available orbit solutions.     

经纬仪高精度垂直移动系统设计

经纬仪高精度垂直移动系统作为自动化精度检测系统的重要组成部分，主要用于搭载电子经纬仪进行垂直方向的一维运动，需保证升降过程的稳定性。文中通过合理设计该平台的主承载系统、竖直升降系统、配重系统及控制系统，保证了整体承载平台的可靠性和稳定性。系统定位精度及直线度等参数的测试结果表明试验数据符合预期指标。该系统已在航天器自动化精度检测系统中投入使用且运行稳定，有力保证了检测系统的综合误差在允许范围内，提升了检测系统的可靠性。     

The realization and convergence analysis of combined PPP based on raw observation

In order to speed up Precise Point Positioning (PPP)’s convergence, a combined PPP method with GPS and GLONASS which is based on using raw observations is proposed, and the positioning results and convergence time have been compared with that of single system. The ionospheric delays and receiver’s Differential Code Bias (DCB) corrections are estimated as unknown parameters in this method. The numerical results show that the combined PPP has not caused significant impacts on the final solutions, but it greatly improved Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) and convergence speed and enhanced the reliability of the solution. Meanwhile, the convergence speed is greatly influenced by the receiver’s DCB, positioning results in horizontal which are better than 10 cm can be realized within 10 min. In addition, the ionosphere and DCB products can be provided with high precision.     

叶芝与乔伊斯对比研究

探索叶芝、乔伊斯两位爱尔兰作家在信仰、创作手法、历史观、爱尔兰民族运动和人生感悟方面的相同点、不同点，供评阅参考。叶芝、乔伊斯不信仰基督教，有各自的哲理，但有相似的历史观——循环论。乔伊斯充分利用象征主义，以荷马《奥德赛》中的人物、故事情节、地点作为意识流小说《尤利西斯》的框架——各章的题目，揭示了深奥的道理。叶芝参加爱尔兰民族的解放运动，成为爱尔兰文艺的领导人，而乔伊斯却放逐自己于海外，拯救自己的理想——文学。两人在创作中得出各自的结论，以劝谏他人。     

Impact of GPS antenna phase center variations on precise orbits of the GOCE satellite

The first European Space Agency Earth explorer core mission GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) has been launched on March 17, 2009. The 12-channel dual-frequency Global Positioning System receiver delivers 1 Hz data and provides the basis for precise orbit determination (POD) on the few cm-level for such a very low orbiting satellite (254.9 km). As a member of the European GOCE Gravity Consortium, which is responsible for the GOCE High-level Processing Facility (HPF), the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) provides the Precise Science Orbit (PSO) product for the GOCE satellite. The mission requirement for 1-dimensional POD accuracy is 2 cm. The use of in-flight determined antenna phase center variations (PCVs) is necessary to meet this requirement. The PCVs are determined from 154 days of data and the magnitude is up to 3-4 cm. The impact of the PCVs on the orbit determination is significant. The cross-track direction benefits most of the PCVs. The improvement is clearly seen in the orbit overlap analysis and in the validation with independent Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) measurements. It is the first time that SLR could validate the cross-track component of a LEO orbit.     

基于多模PPP-AR技术的大气水汽探测性能分析

精密单点定位（precise point positioning，PPP）反演大气可降水量（precipitable water vapor，PWV）具有精度高、实时性强等优点，能够在灾害监测、降雨预报及探测降水信息等方面发挥重要作用。为评估整周模糊度固定模式下PPP-AR（PPP ambiguity resolution）反演PWV的性能，选取全球范围16个MGEX站2022年4个时段的观测数据，采用最终精密星历解算，设置不同星座组合（GPS,BDS-3,GPS+BDS-3,GPS+GLO+GAL+BDS-3）获取对流层延迟（zenith total delay，ZTD）估值，并转换为PWV。从PPP-ZTD与IGS-ZTD的相关性、PPP-ZTD收敛时间、ZTD估值精度和PPP-PWV估值精度4个方面评价多模PPP-AR探测水汽的性能。结果表明，与单（G、C）、双系统（GC）固定解相比，多系统（GREC）固定解获取ZTD估值更加精确，相关系数更高。相较于单、双系统，多系统具有更快的收敛速度，收敛时间分别缩短了27%,25%和20%，多系统固定解与浮点解相比收敛时间缩短11%。此外，对GNSS PPP反演的PWV与探空站PWV（RS-PWV）进行对比，结果表明，WUH2站与HOB2站单、双、多系统固定解、多系统浮点解（float-GREC）的平均均方根误差分别为6.40 mm,6.48 mm,6.19 mm,6.17 mm,6.19 mm和5.82 mm,5.77 mm,5.72 mm,5.62 mm,5.70 mm。多模下得到的PWV估值精度最高，可为高精度的水汽反演提供支持。