Identifying the Relationship between GPS Data Quality and Positioning Precision: Case Study on IGS Tracking Stations
Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 3
Abstract
The number of global positioning system (GPS) tracking stations is increasing, primarily because the stations are multifunctional. In civil engineering, they can be used for precision positioning; in the earth sciences, they can be used to monitor faults and earthquakes; and in the atmospheric sciences, they can be applied to predict perceptible water vapor. Currently, there are more than 400 GPS stations in Taiwan; however, the data obtained through such stations are not being assessed carefully. Experienced scientists and engineers examine the data in advance to see if they qualify for research purposes, but inexperienced users can adopt poor quality data that eventually lead to inaccurate research results. Of the observation stations with receivers that were renewed between 2006 and 2008 in the International GNSS Service Network, four stations (ZIMM, BOR1, NRC1, and NICO) were selected to be the subjects of this research. Six indexes of data quality were observed to calculate the quality of data obtained before and after receiver renewal. Then, analyses were conducted to understand the relationship between the quality indexes and positioning precision. The results showed that after receiver renewal, the positioning precision of the four stations was improved by 1–19%. Therefore, positioning precision is positively affected by the six data quality indexes. It was also discovered that receiver clock error was the most critical factor among the six indexes. In conclusion, if data quality control can be applied to GPS tracking stations, the data obtained will be more reliable for research purposes, and the accuracy of subsequent engineering and science measurements will be improved.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Allan, D., and Weiss, M. (1980). “Accurate time and frequency transfer during common-view of a GPS satellite, during common-view of a GPS satellite.” Proc., IEEE Frequency Control Symp., IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, 334–356.
Amiri-Simkooei, A. R., and Tiberius, C. C. J. M. (2007). “Assessing receiver noise using GPS short baseline time series.” GPS Solut., 11(1), 21–35.
Chen, C.-H. et al. (2011). “Surface deformation and seismic rebound: implications and applications.” Surv. Geophys., 32(3), 291–313.SUGEEC
Dach, R. et al. (2003). “Time transfer using GPS carrier phase: Error propagation and results.” J. Geodes.JOGEF8, 77(1–2), 1–14.
Dach, R., Hugentobler, U., Fridez, P., and Meindl, M. (2007). Bernese GPS software version 5.0, Astronomical Institute, Univ. of Berne, Bern, Switzerland, 103–108.
Eckl, M., Snay, R., Soler, T., Cline, M., and Mader, G. (2001). “Accuracy of GPS-derived relative positions as a function of interstation distance and observing-session duration.” J. Geodes.JOGEF8, 75(12), 633–640.
Estey, L. H., and Meertens, C. M. (1999). “The multi-purpose toolkit for GPS/GLONASS data.” GPS Solut., 3(1), 42–49.
Johnson, J. (1995). “The role of multipath in antenna height tests at table mountain.” Technical Paper, Univ. NAVSTAR Consortium, UCAR UNAVCO Facility, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO.
Leandro, R. F., Thirumurthi, T., Sukeova, L., Langley, R. B., and Santos, M. C. (2008). “Analysis of GPS L2C signal quality and its impact on PPP performance.” Proc., National Technical Meeting of the Institute of Navigation, Institute of Navigation, Manassas, VA, 1020–1031.
Leick, A. (2004). GPS satellite survey, 3rd Ed., Wiley, New York, 188–227.
Lesage, P., and Ayi, T. (1984). “Characterization of frequency stability: Analysis of the modified Allan variance and properties of its estimate.” IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 33(4), 332–336.IEIMAO
Mertikas, S. P., and Damianidis, K. I. (2007). “Monitoring the quality of GPS station coordinates in real time.” GPS Solut., 11(2), 119–128.
Ruiz, J. J., Mozas, A. T., and Urena, M. A. (2009). “GPS survey of road networks for the positional quality control of maps.” Surv. Rev., 41(314), 374–383.
Soloviev, A., Bruckner, D., van Graas, F., and Marti, L. (2007). “Assessment of GPS signal quality in urban environments using deeply integrated GPS/IMU.” Proc., National Technical Meeting of the Institute of Navigation, Institute of Navigation, Manassas, VA, 815–828.
Soycan, M., and Ocalan, T. (2011). “A regression study on relative GPS accuracy for different variables.” Surv. Rev., 43(320), 137–149.
Xu, G. (2007). GPS—theory, algorithms and applications, 2nd Ed., Springer, Berlin.
Yeh, T.-K., Chen, Y.-J., Chung, Y.-D., Feng, C.-W., and Xu, G. (2010). “Clarifying the relationship between quality of global positioning system data and precision of positioning.” J. Surv. Eng., 136(1), 41–45.JSUED2
Yeh, T.-K., Hwang, C., Xu, G., Wang, C.-S., and Lee, C.-C. (2009). “Determination of global positioning system (GPS) receiver clock errors: Impact on positioning accuracy.” Meas. Sci. Technol., 20(7), 075105.MSTCEP
Yeh, T. K., Wang, C. S., Chao, B. F., Chen, C. S., and Lee, C. W. (2007). “Automatic data-quality monitoring for continuous GPS tracking stations in Taiwan.” Metrologia, 44(5), 393–401.MTRGAU
Yeh, T. K., Wang, C. S., Lee, C. W., and Liou, Y. A. (2006). “Construction and uncertainty evaluation of a calibration system for GPS receivers.” Metrologia, 43(5), 451–460.MTRGAU
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 3 • August 2012
Pages: 136 - 142
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 10, 2010
Accepted: Dec 15, 2011
Published online: Dec 21, 2011
Published in print: Aug 1, 2012
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.