Realizing a terrestrial reference frame using the Global Positioning System

Abstract

We describe a terrestrial reference frame (TRF) realization based on Global Positioning System (GPS) data alone. Our approach rests on a highly dynamic, long‐arc (9 day) estimation strategy and on GPS satellite antenna calibrations derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and TOPEX/Poseidon low Earth orbit receiver GPS data. Based on nearly 17 years of data (1997–2013), our solution for scale rate agrees with International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF)2008 to 0.03 ppb yr−1, and our solution for 3‐D origin rate agrees with ITRF2008 to 0.4 mm yr−1. Absolute scale differs by 1.1 ppb (7 mm at the Earth's surface) and 3‐D origin by 8 mm. These differences lie within estimated error levels for the contemporary TRF.

Group delay variations of GPS transmitting and receiving antennas

“…The data sets of Haines et al (2010Haines et al ( , 2012Haines et al ( , 2015 and our results have 22 satellites in common. Figure 6a shows our results for the ionosphere-free C1/P2 linear combination from Fig.…”

“…Their GDV are almost one order of magnitude smaller than those of SVN49. The findings of Springer and Dilssner (2009) were confirmed by Haines et al (2010Haines et al ( , 2012Haines et al ( , 2015 who determined GDV of the ionosphere-free linear combination from GPS measurements collected onboard the low-Earth orbiting GRACE satellite pair and found the largest GDV for some of the Block IIR satellites, larger than those of the GPS Block IIA and IIF satellites.…”

“…With differences on the level of a few centimeters, our assumption of similar GDV for these four antenna types seems to be justified. Haines et al (2010Haines et al ( , 2012Haines et al ( , 2015 published results of GPS satellite GDV for the ionosphere-free linear combination based on P1/P2 observations obtained with the receivers of the GRACE satellite pair between 2002 and 2013. These GDV were estimated from observation residuals resulting from the GRACE orbit determination.…”

“…These GDV were estimated from observation residuals resulting from the GRACE orbit determination. The antennas onboard the GRACE satellites are choke ring antennas (Haines et al 2015).…”

“…4 again but restricted to these 22 satellites. Figure 6b depicts the corresponding P1/P2 results of Haines et al (2010Haines et al ( , 2012Haines et al ( , 2015 with each curve constrained to zero in nadir direction. Figure 6c shows the differences after removing an individual bias per satellite.…”