Lecture-1

CHAPTER 4 GPS ERROR & ACCURACY

 To determine the accurate position by GPS depends on treatment of various types of errors inherent in
the technology. The errors are categorized on the basis of nature of source of error-

Classification of error in GPS observation:-

 GPS satellite orbit, clock and position geometry based source of errors: These errors is
basically defined in terms of satellite transmitted signals having transmission time from satellite
to receiver. It includes error related to satellite clock, orbit and position i.e. Selective Availability.

 Receiver clock dependent source of errors: These errors are basically defined in terms of
receivers. It includes errors related to clock, cycle slips, noise and antenna phase. These errors
originate from receivers.
 Propagation or atmosphere dependent source of errors: There errors are basically defined in
terms of signal propagation from satellite to receiver. It includes ionosphere and troposphere
related errors. Errors are generated due to the delay in signals in upper (ionosphere) and lower
atmosphere (troposphere).
 Signal Multipath and atmospheric interference source of errors: Signal Multipath errors can
be defined in terms of reflected signal from geographical based buildings, high rocks, vehicles,
power line or water. Atmospheric interference errors are generated via atmospheric conditions i.e.
humidity, temperature, pressure etc.
 User mistakes: These errors are generated by incorrect information input in GPS receiver,
relaying 2D position in place of 3D position, distance error, human body defects.
 Random based nature errors: These errors are generated due to the unexpected and
unpredictable changes in the nature or environmental conditions i.e. electronic or instrumental
noise error. 
 
Figure 4.1 shows various types of errors in GPS. These errors can also be classed as Satellite related,
Signal Propagation related and Receiver related, as given in Table 4.1. 
 Fig
gure 4.1: Various types of errrors in GPS (htt
ttp://www.globbalspec.com/)

Table 4.1: So
ources of errorss in GPS

Satellite related  Siignal Propagaation  Receiver related 

related
Gravitationnal  Ionospheric,  Siggnal  A
Antenna  Error in 
Non‐sphe ericity of Eartth;  Tropoospheric  deelays  p
phase center  observed 
General relativity; Tidal  refracction;  variation;  PRN 
attraction  Multipath  R
Receiver clockk 
Non‐Gravittational  b
bias; Receiver 
Orrbital 
Solar raddiation pressuure; Air  n
noise 
error  Inccrease 
drag; Solar wind; Maggnetic  Speecial 
in 
field  relaativity 
re ceived 
Others   
freequency 
Satellite clock; Selective 
availability 

4.1 GPS satellite orbiit, clock and position geom

metry based source of errrors:

GPS satelllite orbit erro

ors include deeviation from m position or uuncertainties iin the estimatted ephemeris data
which is caused due to t the orbita al perturbatio ons, selectivee availabilityy and satelliite clock driifts. It
pertains to
o the altitude,, position and
d velocity of satellites.
s
 Broadcast
B Satellite dependdent ephemerris error (abbout 20 m eestimation) iss very difficult to
model,
m correctt and compensate completeely because m many forces aare difficult too measure dirrectly.
Itt is not accuraate for almosst all geophyssical applicatiion whose accuracy requirrements are m mm to
cmm level. Satelllite orbital biias is defined
d as differencee between truue position (velocity) of saatellite
annd its broadcaast ephemeriss.
  Selective Availability: It includes the Dither process of satellite clock along with satellite orbital
degradation information.
 Satellite clock error is termed as a difference between estimated satellite clock time and true GPS
time via atomic clocks in GPS satellites that provides high accuracy.
 Satellite position is defined as a function of earlier estimated time at ground control stations in
GPS observations. It is included in the broadcast navigational message. The geometry of satellite
positions causes positional error by providing the conditions where satellites have small angle
relative to each other because of weak reading capability. A measure of this can also be termed as
Dilution of Precision explained below.
 Ephemeris information to compute positions of GPS satellites via tracking and collecting data
from 5 monitor stations of control segment. After that, collected data has gone through processing
mechanism at the master control stations and satellite position is broadcasted to each satellite and
also to the users in the navigational data message available to GPS users at observation time.
 These errors are reduced by computing clock corrections and then transmitting those corrections
along with GPS signal.