MSTID Detection, Characterization and Modelling: A Key Point to Improve the Precise GNSS Navigation

Abstract

The main focus of this paper is to show how the better knowledge of the behaviour of the more common ionospheric perturbations (the so called Medium Scale Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances, MSTIDs) can significantly improve the precise GNSS real-time positioning. In order to do this, three main studies has been carried out: 1) To develop a simple but accurate MSTID detection and characterization algorithm. 2) To apply this technique to extract the MSTID worldwide behaviour, in terms of occurrence, velocity, azimuth and period. 3) To form a simple blind MSTID model, summarizing these results (the main point detailed in this manuscript). This model is applied to realtime positioning scenarios, to show the significant reduction of positioning error. This increase of performance is achieved in both “classical” short baselines of few tens of kilometres (those covered by RTK and VRS techniques), as well as in very long baselines of hundreds of kilometres (by using the Wide Area RTK technique –WARTK– developed by the authors in previous works), providing in this way a carrier phase based GNSS navigation service with typical errors of few centimetres.