Crustal Dynamics Data Information System Research Articles

Evaluation of Satellite\u2019s Point-Ahead Angle Derived from TLE for Laser Communication

Advances in lasers, optics and electronics for Satellite’s optical communication are opening the possibility of very high performance near Earth space links with data rate up to several Gbps. Being the divergence of the laser beam typically of tens of murad, an extremely high precision pointing is needed to correctly establish and maintain data optical link. In particular, the relative motion between the satellite and the ground station shall be accurately evaluated to estimate how to correct pointing angles for future orbital locations. This correction is made via a point-ahead mirror (PAM) mechanism, which deviates the laser beam by an angle called point-ahead angle (PAA). The purpose of this paper is evaluate the possibility of accurately estimate the point-ahead angle in advance using the two-line elements sets for the orbiting satellite, which are available before the ground station overpass. The study evaluated TLE-based orbital evolution of Sentinel-6 satellite, comparing the results with the high precision data obtained by laser ranging from the crustal dynamics data information system (CDDIS). The maximum error observed between the estimated and measured point-ahead angles was less than 1murad, demonstrating the possibility of this point-ahead correction technique for LEO orbiting satellites.

Formation of Extreme Anomalies in the Total Electron Content According to Data from Linear Theory

Under the assumption that the evolution of the total electron content (TEC) in a quiet ionosphere can be described within the framework of the linear dynamic-stochastic approach, the corresponding model is constructed and verified. The TEC data archive for 1998–2018 of the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) of the National Aeronautics and Space (NASA) Administration was used in the calculations. The observed extreme anomalies of the TEC field (with an anomaly magnitude exceeding the triple value of the root-mean-square deviation of the anomaly norm) were interpreted as the response of a quiet ionosphere to external actions. It is believed that such actions include disturbances of the solar radiation flux and geomagnetic anomalies characterized by corresponding indices, as well as actions of other physical natures (the influence of the atmospheric gravity wave breaking, etc.). The external action was defined as the difference between the changed TEC anomaly predicted with the linear model and its real value. The linear dynamic-stochastic model made it possible to distinguish anomalies of the initial state of the ionosphere and external actions that were able to change it to the greatest extent after a given time. It is shown that the structure of extreme TEC anomalies is determined by the form of the optimal response vectors (left singular vectors of the corresponding operators). The coefficient of correlation reaches 0.85 for projection of the anomaly onto five leading vectors and 0.7 for projection onto the first vector.

Assessment of Global Ionospheric Maps Performance by Means of Ionosonde Data

This work presents a new method for assessing global ionospheric maps (GIM) using ionosonde data. The method is based on the critical frequency at the F2 layer directly measured by ionosondes to validate VTEC (vertical total electron content) values from GIMs. The analysis considered four different approaches to using foF2. The study was performed over one of the most challenging scenarios, the Brazilian region, considering four ionosondes (combined in six pairs) and thirteen GIM products available at CDDIS (Crustal Dynamics Data Information System). Analysis was conducted using daily, weekly, one year (2015), and four years (2014–2017) of data. Additional information from the ionosphere was estimated to complement the daily analysis, such as slab thickness and shape function peak. Results indicated that slab thickness and shape function peak could be used as alternative indicators of periods and regions where this method could be applied. The weekly analysis indicated the squared frequency ratio with local time correction as the best approach of using foF2, between the ones evaluated. The analysis of one-year data (2015) was performed considering thirteen GIMs, where CODG and UQRG were the two GIMs that presented the best performance. The four-year time series (2014–2017) were analyzed considering these two products. Regional and temporal ionospheric influences could be noticed in the results, with expected larger errors during the solar cycle peak in 2014 and at locations with pairs of ionosondes with the larger distance apart. Therefore, we have confirmed the viability of the developed approach as an assessment method to analyze GIMs quality based on ionosonde data.

Anomaly analysis of 18 years of newly merged GPS ephemeris from four IGS data centers

The merged GPS navigation files from the International GNSS Service (IGS) data centers, i.e., the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS), the Bundesamt fur Kartographie und Geodasie (BKG), the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), and the Institut Geographique National (IGN) are occasionally contaminated by anomalies and inconsistent user range accuracy (URA). This contamination impairs the performance assessment of GPS service, especially the system integrity. We remerged these files starting Day of Year (DOY) 1, 2000 using all available navigation data files from IGS stations. To effectively get the upper bound URA, a frequency-dependent pattern recognition method was developed. In addition, a comprehensive comparison between the navigation data remerged by us and those provided by the four IGS data centers was performed. The compared results revealed that TGD and Issue of Data Clock (IODC) were the dominating anomalies in the merged navigation data from CDDIS and SIO for the first several years after 2000, and M0, Ω0, ω, and af0 were the dominant anomalies in the merged data from IGN. In addition to a number of missing records, many records with incorrect PRN (pseudo-random noise number), identifying a GPS satellite, were found in files from the IGS data centers. Although the number of anomalies in the merged files from CDDIS has continued to decrease in recent years, they have not disappeared and would affect system-level assessment and scientific applications to a certain extent. The results also revealed that our remerged files were more complete, clean, compact and consistent, making them more suitable for GPS system performance assessment and related research studies. Moreover, those data are now openly available.

Annual variation detected by GPS, GRACE and loading models

Most GPS coordinate time series, surface displacements derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), and loading models display significant annual signals at many regions. This paper compares the annual signals of the GPS position time series from the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS), estimates of loading from GRACE monthly gravity field models calculated by three processing centers (Center of Spatial Research, CSR; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL; GeoForschungsZentrum, GFZ) and three geophysical fluids models (National Center for Environmental Prediction, NCEP; Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, ECCO; Global Land Data Assimilation System, GLDAS) for 270 globally distributed stations for the period 2003-2011. The results show that annual variations derived from the level-2 products from the three GRACE product centers are very similar. The absolute difference in annual amplitude between any two centers is never larger than 1.25 mm in the vertical and 0.11 mm in horizontal displacement. The mean phase differences of the GRACE results are less than ten days for all three components. When we correct the GPS vertical coordinate time series using the GRACE annual amplitudes using the products from three GRACE analysis centers, we find that we are able to reduce the GPS annual signal in the vertical at about 80% stations and the average reduction is about 47%. In the north and the east, the annual amplitude is reduced on 77% and 72% of the stations with the average reduction 32% and 33%. We also compare the annual surface displacement signal derived from two environmental models; the two models use the same atmospheric and non-tidal ocean loading and differ only in the continental water storage model that we use, either NCEP or GLDAS. We find that the model containing the GLDAS continental water storage is able to better reduce the annual signal in the GPS coordinate time series.

3D displacement field retrieved by integrating Sentinel-1 InSAR and GPS data: the 2014 South Napa earthquake

In this study the integration of Sentinel-1 InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) and GPS (Global Positioning System) data was performed to estimate the three components of the ground deformation field due to the Mw 6.0 earthquake occurred on August 24th, 2014, in the Napa Valley, California, USA. The SAR data were acquired by the Sentinel-1 satellite on August 7th and 31st respectively. In addition, the GPS observations acquired during the whole month of August were analyzed. These data were obtained from the Bay Area Regional Deformation Network, the UNAVCO and the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System online archives. The data integration was realized by using a Bayesian statistical approach searching for the optimal estimation of the three deformation components. The experimental results show large displacements caused by the earthquake characterized by a predominantly NW-SE strike-slip fault mechanism.

The crustal dynamics data information system: A resource to support scientific analysis using space geodesy

Since 1982, the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) has supported the archive and distribution of geodetic data products acquired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as well as national and international programs. The CDDIS provides easy, timely, and reliable access to a variety of data sets, products, and information about these data. These measurements, obtained from a global network of nearly 650 instruments at more than 400 distinct sites, include DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite), GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), SLR and LLR (Satellite and Lunar Laser Ranging), and VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry). The CDDIS data system and its archive have become increasingly important to many national and international science communities, particularly several of the operational services within the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and its observing system the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), including the International DORIS Service (IDS), the International GNSS Service (IGS), the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS), and the International Earth rotation and Reference frame Service (IERS). Investigations resulting from the data and products available through the CDDIS support research in many aspects of Earth system science and global change. Each month, the CDDIS archives more than one million data and derived product files totaling over 90 Gbytes in volume. In turn, the global user community downloads nearly 1.2 Tbytes (over 10.5 million files) of data and products from the CDDIS each month. The requirements of analysts have evolved since the start of the CDDIS; the specialized nature of the system accommodates the enhancements required to support diverse data sets and user needs. This paper discusses the CDDIS, including background information about the system and its user communities, archive contents, available metadata, and future plans.

The applicability analysis of troposphere delay error model in GPS positioning

PurposeTroposphere delay is one of the important error sources in global positioning system (GPS) positioning. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the accuracy and adaptability of GPS troposphere error correction models, and to provide theoretic foundation for model selection in GPS accurate positioning.Design/methodology/approachThe principle of troposphere delay error effecting on GPS signals is theoretically analyzed. The model peculiarity and modeling method of the four common troposphere delay correction models: Hopfield, Saastamoinen, Black, and Egnos models are discussed detailedly. With the measurement data from Crustal Dynamics Data Information System of the technical support institution for GPS, the accuracy and applicability of the four models are quantificationally studied.FindingsFor a low elevation, Hopfield, Saastamoinen, and Black models show great agreement with each other, and have quite high precision. In the zenith direction, the maximal troposphere delay error of three models are all less than 1 dm, but Black and Hopfield models have higher precision than Saastamoinen model. Black model can be regarded as the improved form of Hopfield model: for a high elevation, precision of two models are close, while for a low elevation, Black model shows to be more effective than Hopfield model. The precision of Egnos model is quite lower than that of Black, Hopfield, and Saastamoinen models. However, Egnos model can be a better choice when it is difficult to obtain real‐time meteorological data in certain application environment.Originality/valueThis paper makes thorough research on GPS troposphere delay error correction models. The conclusions are presented for selecting troposphere delay models, which are useful for practical engineering application.

Study on adaptability of GPS ionospheric error correction models

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the applicability of Global Positioning System (GPS) ionospheric delay correction models. Ionospheric delay is the most influential error source in GPS positioning, and ionospheric refraction is difficult to be corrected by dual frequency measurement for the common single frequency GPS receivers. Generally, ionospheric models are employed to correct errors. In order to analyze the ionospheric influence to GPS signals and the accuracy and adaptability of GPS ionospheric error correction models a quantificational analysis for ionospheric error correction models is absolutely necessary.Design/methodology/approach – On the base of the mechanism of ionospheric error, the Klobuchar model that is widely used and actual measured correction model (including local and global ionospheric error correction models) are analyzed in detail. With the data about ionosphere obtained from GPS authority Crustal Dynamics Data Information System, the precision and adaptability o...

The IGS global data center at the CDDIS - an update

The Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) has served as a global data center for the International GPS Service (IGS) since its start in June 1992, providing on-line access to data from over 175 sites on a daily basis. This paper will present information about the GPS and GLONASS data and products archive at the CDDIS. General information about the system and its support of other international space geodesy services (the ILRS, IVS, IGLOS-PP, and DPE) will also be discussed.

SLR precision analysis for LAGEOS I and II

This paper deals with the problem of properly weighting satellite observations which are non-uniform in quality. The technique, the variance component estimation method developed by Helmert, was first applied to the 1987 LAGEOS I SLR data by Sahin et al. (1992). This paper investigates the performance of the globally distributed SLR stations using the Helmert type variance component estimation. As well as LAGEOS I data, LAGEOS II data were analysed, in order to compare with the previously analysed 1987 LAGEOS I data. The LAGEOS I and II data used in this research were obtained from the NASA Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS), which archives data acquired from stations operated by NASA and by other U.S. and international organizations. The data covers the years 1994, 1995 and 1996. The analysis is based on “full-rate” laser observations, which consist of hundreds to thousands of ranges per satellite pass. The software used is based on the SATAN package (SATellite ANalysis) developed at the Royal Greenwich Observatory in the UK.

The second generation intelligent user interface for the crustal dynamics data information system

The National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) has initiated an Intelligent Data Management (IDM) research effort which has as one of its components the development of an Intelligent User Interface (IUI). The intent of the IUI effort is to develop a friendly and intelligent user interface service that is based on database management system (DBMS), expert systems, natural language processing, and graphics technologies. This article presents the results of the project on the second generation interface to NASA's crustal dynamics database. In general, the system spans a local Sun 3/260 scientific workstation connected to the VAX 11/780 central system. Instead of using a database query language, the user uses the expert system to advise the user in the construction of English queries, which are then sent to either a local or a central natural language front-end to the database. On a systems level, the expert system interface is written in the Automated Reasoning Tool (ART), Lisp, C, and Fortran and resides on the Sun 3/260. Also, the Natural Language components are written using the THEMIS natural language front-end and the NLI DataTalker and are connected to the ORACLE and the Sybase DBMS, respectively. Lastly, the crustal dynamics database and THEMIS reside on the VAX 11/780.