An Observation Density Based Method for Independent Baseline Searching in GNSS Network Solution

Abstract

With applications such as precise geodetic product generation and reference frame maintenance, the global GNSS network solution is a fundamental problem that has constantly been a focus of concern. Independent baseline search is a prerequisite step of the double-differenced (DD) GNSS network. In this process, only empirical methods are usually used, i.e., the observation-max (OBS-MAX), which allows for obtaining more redundant DD observations, and the shortest-path (SHORTEST), which helps to better eliminate tropospheric and ionospheric errors between stations. Given the possible limitations that neither of the methods can always guarantee baselines of the highest accuracy to be selected, a strategy based on the ‘density’ of common satellites (OBS-DEN) is proposed. It takes the number of co-viewing satellites per unit distance between stations as the criterion. This method ensures that the independent baseline network has both sufficient observations and short baselines. With single-day solutions and annual statistics computed with parallel processing, the method demonstrates that it has the ability to obtain comparable or even higher positioning accuracy than the conventional methods. With a clearer meaning, OBS-DEN can be an option alongside the previous methods in the independent baseline search.

Editorial for Special Issue “Precise GNSS Positioning and Navigation: Methods, Challenges, and Applications”

“…Liu et al [5] deduced a strategy based on the "density" of common satellites (OBS-DEN) to guarantee baselines of the highest accuracy to be selected. It takes the number of coviewing satellites per unit distance between stations as the criterion.…”