Abstract
This paper presents the results of an orbital analysis of satellite laser ranging data performed by the Borowiec SLR station (7811) in the period from July 1993 to December 2019, including the determination of the station positions and velocity. The analysis was performed using the GEODYN-II orbital program for the independent monthly orbital arcs from the results of the LAGEOS-1 and LAGEOS-2 satellites. Each arc was created from the results of the laser observations of a dozen or so selected stations, which were characterized by a large number of normal points and a good quality of observations. The geocentric and topocentric coordinates of the station were analyzed. Factors influencing the uncertainty of the measurements were determined: the number of the normal points, the dispersion of the normal points in relation to the orbits, and the long-term stability of the systematic deviations. The position leap at the end of 2002 and its interpretation in ITRF2014 were analyzed. The 3D stability of the determined positions throughout the period of study was equal to 12.7 mm, with the uncertainty of determination being at the level of 4.3 mm. A very high compliance of the computed velocity of the Borowiec SLR station (24.9 mm/year) with ITRF2014 (25.0 mm/year) was found.
Highlights
The elaboration and control of the results of satellite laser ranging (SLR) observations are presented in several commonly available datasets
The measurements of the LAGEOS satellites analyzed in this paper were performed by the Borowiec SLR system, which has been continuously developed since 1988
Modifications, and upgrades have contributed to the visible increase in the effectiveness of the laser system, including the tracking of low geodetic satellites (LEO), MEO satellites, and LEO space debris, as well as to the significant growth of the RMS of the laser system measurements from 40 mm in 1993 to 18 mm in 2019 [7,8,13,14]
Summary
The elaboration and control of the results of SLR observations are presented in several commonly available datasets. International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) analyses are most often used, including Quarterly/Monthly Global Performance Card [1]; Analysis Centers: ILRS ASC Product and Information Server [2]; Hitotsubashi University: Multi-Satellite Bias Analysis Report [3]; Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET); DGFI-TUM ILRS Analysis Centre [4]; and SLR Observatory Zimmerwald: ILRS Combined Range bias Report [5]. All these centers have advantages and disadvantages, but generally do not contain complete information about the activity of a given station, especially over a long period. A similar study has already been carried out by the first author for the Riyadh SLR station, summing up several years of the operation of this station [6]
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