GPS Meteorology: Sliding-Window Analysis

Abstract

The sliding-window technique uses a moving time window to select GPS data for processing. This makes it possible to routinely incorporate the most recently collected data and generate estimates for atmospheric delay or precipitable water in (near) real time. As a consequence of the technique several estimates may be generated for each time epoch, and these multiple estimates can be used to explore and analyze the characteristics of the atmospheric estimates and the effect of the processing model and parameters. Examples of some of the analyses that can be undertaken are presented. Insights into the phenomenology of the atmospheric estimates provided by sliding-window analysis permit the fine-tuning of the GPS processing as well as the possibility of both improving the accuracy of the near-real-time estimates themselves and constraining the errors associated with them. The overlapping data windows and the multiple estimates that characterize the sliding-window method can lead to ambiguity in the meaning of many terms and expressions commonly used in GPS meteorology. In order to prevent confusion in discussions of sliding-window processing, a nomenclature is proposed that formalizes the meaning of the primary terms and defines the geometric and physical relationships between them.