Developing a Multi-Frequency for GNSS-Based Scintillation Monitoring Receiver

Abstract

Abridged due to PUBSY limitations (see attached abstract): GNSS-based studies of the ionosphere are typically conducted using navigation receivers which track both the carrier and code phase either on a satellite-by-satellite basis, or collectively via a vector structure [3]. Information relating to phase and amplitude scintillation is gathered from the receiver’s estimate of the carrier phase and the receiver correlators values, respectively. The quality of these parameters, however, is directly influenced by how well the receiver can track the GNSS signals. Under scintillation conditions these measurements are corrupted and degraded as the errors in the code and carrier tracking loops grow [1, 2]. Code-phase biases will manifest themselves as amplitude fades and carrier phase cycle-slips will appear as large, sudden phase fluctuations. Given such corrupted data it can be difficult to distinguish between receiver-induced artifacts and ionosphere anomalies. Moreover, if a receiver cannot acquire or track the signal, these measurements are simply not available [2].