Abstract
During the period when a GPS satellite, the Earth and the Sun are approximately collinear, the phenomenon of eclipsing the satellite occurs, when the satellite yaw attitude deviates from its nominal case, i.e. the body X-axis cannot point towards the Sun for Block II&IIA or away from it for Block IIR satellites. The yaw attitude of the eclipsing satellites has a significant influence on both the satellite clock estimation at each International GNSS Service (IGS) Analysis Center (AC) and for users of the precise point positioning (PPP) implementations. It is known that, during the eclipsing periods, inconsistent yaw attitude models among the ACs will contribute to the errors of the IGS combined clock products. As for the PPP user, the influence of the eclipsing satellite is two-fold. First, as the satellite clocks are always kept fixed during PPP implementation, the above-mentioned problematic IGS clocks will inevitably be passed on to the PPP estimates. Second, the improper yaw attitude modeling of the eclipsing satellite will cause a correction bias exceeding 1 dm for the two kinds of attitude-related systematic errors, namely the phase wind-up and satellite antenna phase center offset, which will further deteriorate the accuracy of the PPP solutions. A yaw attitude model is introduced in this paper with the aim of improving the reliability of PPP solutions during the satellite eclipsing period.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bar-Sever Y E. A new model for GPS yaw-attitude. J Geodesy, 1996, 70: 714–723
Kouba J. A simplified yaw-attitude model for eclipsing GPS satellites. GPS Solut, 2009, 13: 1–12
Dow J M, Neilan R E, Gendt G. The international GPS service (IGS): Celebrating the 10th anniversary and looking to the next decade. Adv Space Res, 2005, 36: 320–326
Beutler G, Brockmann E, Gurtner W, et al. Extended orbit modeling technique at CODE processing center of the international GPS service for geodynamics (IGS): Theory and initial results. Manuscr Geod, 1994, 19: 367–386
Wu J T, Wu S C, Hajj G A, et al. Effects of antenna orientation on GPS carrier phase. Manuscr Geod, 1993, 18: 91–98
Schmid R, Steigenberger P, Gendt G, et al. Generation of a consistent absolute phase center correction model for GPS receiver and satellite antennas. J Geodesy, 2007, 81: 781–798
Jan D. The impact of errors in predicted GPS orbits on zenith troposphere delay estimation. GPS Solut, 2010, 14: 229–239
Kouba J, Héroux H. Precise point positioning using IGS orbit and clock products. GPS Solut, 2001, 5: 12–28
Zhang X H, Forsberg R. Assessment of long-range kinematic GPS positioning errors by comparison with airborne laser altimetry and satellite altimetry. J Geodesy, 2007, 81: 201–211
Hesselbarth A, Wanninger L. Short-term stability of GNSS satellite clocks and its effects on precise point positioning. ION GNSS2008, Sep 16–19, Savannah, Georgia, USA. 2008. 1855–1863
Teunissen P J G. Minimal detectable biases of GPS data. J Geodesy, 1998, 72: 236–244
Xiao Y G, Gui Y Z, Liu L, et al. A new method for real-time and accurate determination of satellite orbits without transfer (in Chinese). Chinese Sci Bull, 2009, 54: 3669–3672
Yuan Y B, Huo X L, Ou J K. Models and methods for precise determination of ionospheric delay using GPS. Prog Nat Sci, 2007, 17: 187–196
Cao J L, Shi Y L, Zhang H, et al. Numerical simulation of GPS observed clockwise rotation around the eastern Himalayan syntax in the Tibetan Plateau. Chinese Sci Bull, 2009, 54: 1398–1410
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, B., Ou, J., Yuan, Y. et al. Yaw attitude of eclipsing GPS satellites and its impact on solutions from precise point positioning. Chin. Sci. Bull. 55, 3687–3693 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-010-4130-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-010-4130-3