Difference Between the Length of the True Propagation Path and the Geometrical Path of Radio Waves Transmitted by GPS Satellites

Abstract

Formerly the propagation of radio waves transmitted by GPS satellites in a stratified ionosphere represented by ionospheric models has been studied. For the investigation of the propagation in an ionosphere containing also irregularities, it was necessary to increase the resolving power of the modelling. It has been found that vertical steps of 5 km have to be used in the computations to a height of 300 km, then steps of 50 km till 1000 km and steps of 500 km in the plasmasphere are necessary. The change of the length difference between the true path and the straight line (geometrical) path is discussed.