Software developed for obtaining GPS‐derived total electron content values

Abstract

This paper describes a complex technique with its built‐in cycle slip correction procedures that have been developed for ionospheric space research to obtain high‐quality and high‐precision GPS‐derived total electron content (TEC) values. Thus, to correct GPS anomalies while the signatures of space weather features detected in the dual‐frequency 30‐s rate GPS data are preserved is the main aim of this technique. Its main requirement is to complete fully automatically all the tasks required to turn the observational data to the desired final product. Its major tasks include curve fitting, cycle slip detection and correction in the slant relative TEC data, residual error detection and correction in the vertical TEC data, and vertical TEC data filtering for quantifying data smoothness and GPS phase fluctuations. A detailed description of these two data correction methods is given. Validation tests showing weaknesses and strengths of the methods developed are also included and discussed. Versatility and accuracy of the methods are demonstrated with interesting and real‐world examples obtained from smooth midlatitude and from dynamic low‐ and high‐latitude data. Results indicate that errors can be detected and corrected more reliably in the vertical TEC data than in the slant TEC data because of the lower rate of change of vertical TEC over a 30‐s sampling period. Future work includes the development of a complex software package wherein the individual FORTRAN algorithms, described in this paper, will be incorporated into one main (FORTRAN, Matlab, or C++) program to provide professional and customized GPS data processing for ionospheric space research.