Comparison of Tropospheric Decorrelation Errors in the Presence of Severe Weather Conditions in Different Areas and Over Different Baseline Lengths

Jidong Huang, Frank van Graas

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	In this paper, a new method is introduced to estimate and characterize tropospheric spatial decorrelation errors (TSDE). Mathematical derivations are provided to identify TSDE on a per satellite basis through the use of single and dual-frequency Carrier Phase measurements. It will be shown that the processing error in the estimated TSDEs is less than 0.17 m due to all error sources. The probability of having a processing error larger than this is less than 10^-6. To characterize the TSDE, continuous DGPS measurement data from three pairs of GPS receivers in the CORS network were analyzed for different baseline lengths over long data periods of one year to capture most weather conditions for a particular geographic area. Close correlation was found between large TSDEs and severe weather conditions. Furthermore, it was found that the modified Hopfield model (MHM) was ineffective to reduce TSDE in the presence of severe weather conditions. The largest TSDE observed was approximately 0.4 m on a baseline of 16 km at Athens, OH.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 54, Number 3
Pages:	207 - 226
Cite this article:	Huang, Jidong, van Graas, Frank, "Comparison of Tropospheric Decorrelation Errors in the Presence of Severe Weather Conditions in Different Areas and Over Different Baseline Lengths", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 54, No. 3, Fall 2007, pp. 207-226.
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