Simulating Disturbances in GPS by Continuous Satellite Distribution

Abstract

Rough error estimations of positioning are considerably simplified by taking continuous satellite observation distributions into account. Forming normal equations by integration allows explicit calculations of the effects of the measurement errors on position. Application of this method to tropospheric delay shows a very good correspondence with real measurements. An error in refractivity determination of 1% causes a 6‐mm height error per 1‐km height difference. It is shown that the tropospheric ranging errors contaminate the height errors with an amplification factor of nearly three. Baseline determinations can be treated exactly in the same way. As a further example, the effect of phase center variation will be discussed.