Multipath Mitigation Maps feasibility and applicability as an International GNSS Service product

Scientific Conference (2020, December 17)

There have been many advances in the modeling of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observables when estimating position and other parameters of interest. Some of these bias models are related to ... [more ▼]

There have been many advances in the modeling of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observables when estimating position and other parameters of interest. Some of these bias models are related to improvements of reference frames, phase center offsets and variations of transmitter and receiver antennas, satellite orbits and clocks, and troposphere. Nonetheless, multipath remains for the most part an unmodelled source of error which causes range errors in the GNSS observations. The associated effects show highly localized features and have a different impact for each receiver and antenna. Multipath errors can propagate, can cause in-situ position biases and are also contributing to the prevalent draconitic harmonic signals. In order to mitigate the problem we generate site-specific corrections by employing a suitable averaging scheme for the stacking of carrier phase residuals. Our processing is based on globally distributed static multi-GNSS observations using several scientific GNSS software packages (Bernese GNSS Software, NAPEOS, GAMIT-GLOBK, and CSRS-PPP). Our multipath stacking maps (MPS) use the stacking of carrier phase residuals generated by variable azimuth cell size (congruent cells) and by allocating carrier phase residuals in each cell to generate the correction maps, unlike the standard fixed azimuth cell resolution approaches. This reduces the binning of fewer residuals at higher elevation angles. Before stacking, we also apply rigorous statistical outlier screening tests for each one-way post-fit carrier phase residual assigned to each of the congruent cells. We thus correct the multipath effects by subtracting the stacked multipath map from the post-fit carrier phase residual. Using this technique we produce a model available in the form of the Antenna Exchange (ANTEX) file format, that can potentially be implemented in routine GNSS analysis with no or little additional overhead for individual analysis centers (ACs). In this study, we assess the feasibility and applicability of the MPS maps as an International GNSS Service (IGS) product for routine GNSS analysis. We demonstrate the multipath stacking technique to result in a significant reduction of the variation in the one-way post-fit carrier phase residuals from multi-GNSS observations. [less ▲]

Cross-Evaluation of Surface Meteorological Data and GNSS-derived Water Vapor with Re-analysis Information for South Georgia Island, South Atlantic Ocean

Poster (2020, December 11)

As one of the most important components of the global hydrologic cycle, atmospheric water vapor shows significant variability in both space and time over a large range of scales. This variability results ... [more ▼]

As one of the most important components of the global hydrologic cycle, atmospheric water vapor shows significant variability in both space and time over a large range of scales. This variability results from the interactions of many different factors, including topography and the presence of specific atmospheric processes. One of the key regions for affecting global climatic variations lies in the sub-Antarctic zone over the Southern Ocean with its Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the associated Antarctic Convergence. There, in this cold and maritime region, lies South Georgia Island with its weather and climate being largely affected by both the dominating ocean currents and the strong east ward blowing winds in this zone. While the island forms an important outpost for various surface observations in this largely under-sampled and extremely remote region, it also forms a barrier for these winds due to its high topography, which, in turn, leads to various local meteorological phenomena, such as foehn winds. Surface meteorological data have been available for several stations near King Edward Point (KEP) on South Georgia for much of the 20th century. Since 2013 and 2014, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data have been available at five locations around the periphery of the island and during a few months in 2016 also radiosonde data have been collected at KEP. This study aims at investigating the consistency between the different surface meteorological data sets such as temperature, pressure and wind direction/speed that have been collected at KEP and a nearby GNSS station on Brown Mountain (BMT) for which we also compare the precipitable water vapor estimates. A cross-evaluation of these data sets with model values from the ERA-Interim re-analyses is carried out to further investigate the performance of both instruments and models. Overall, our preliminary results show high consistency between the surface meteorological observations and the re-analysis model values. It was our main objective to investigate the homogeneity and accuracy of the BMT observation time series through cross-evaluation with the series of the official WMO station at KEP. Air temperature and pressure at both sites from observation and model data are strongly correlated at hourly intervals, reaching correlation coefficients in the range of 0.966 - 0.968 for the former data set. The difference temperature time series shows seasonal variations but no obvious steps. The difference pressure time series is flat, also indicating no discontinuities. A cross-evaluation of the wind observations shows the distinct directional feature at KEP for a station in a valley where the winds are funneled through the valley. For BMT the wind observations confirm the main directions of winds but also show the openness of the station from all directions. The observations of temperature, pressure, humidity and GNSS-derived PWV clearly show the signatures of the frequent foehn events. [less ▲]

Extended Producer Responsibility in the Construction Sector through Blockchain, BIM and Smart Contract Technologies

Poster (2020, December 09)

Despite the enormous amount of raw or secondary materials flowing within the construction industry, the actual available volume of materials and their respective End-of-Lifecycle (EoL) treatment is not ... [more ▼]

Despite the enormous amount of raw or secondary materials flowing within the construction industry, the actual available volume of materials and their respective End-of-Lifecycle (EoL) treatment is not regulated nor uniform. On top of that, the EoL responsibility of different stakeholders after the future building deconstruction is confusing and disputable. Consequently, different sustainability policies and metrics suffer from inaccurately reported volumes of circulating materials in the economy. Hence, this article aims to find a new way to improve and regulate the EoL treatment of recyclable materials and to create value for them. The ultimate goal of the proposed framework is to make original manufacturers responsible for the EoL treatment of their recyclable construction materials and products under the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) policy that is enacted in the European Union for sustainable management of waste streams. Adhering to the EPR is difficult for buildings as they are long-term and complex assets. A high degree of transparency, accuracy and security is required to correctly track the lifecycle information of building parts and their respective manufacturers for the EPR implementation. For this purpose, a framework is conceptualised based on the immutability and transparency of blockchain technology to remove trust and trace barriers in the current supply chain. The proposed conceptual model results from the synergy of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology, material and component banks, blockchain technology and smart contracts for the EoL treatment of recyclable materials. As a result, a data-driven and closed-loop material cycle will be accomplished. This paper demonstrates that through self-executing smart contracts, a clear line of responsibility and ownership could be defined while manufacturers could be made accountable in the post-consumer phase of their construction products. [less ▲]

Eco-construction for sustainable development (Econ4SD) – Konzepte für Materialbanken

in Kaliske, Michael (Ed.) 24. Dresdner Baustatik-Seminar: Reality - Modeling - Structural Design (2020, October)

This contribution presents the joint research project Econ4SD – Eco-construction for sustainable development which investigates at the University of Luxembourg various aspects of sustainable design ... [more ▼]

This contribution presents the joint research project Econ4SD – Eco-construction for sustainable development which investigates at the University of Luxembourg various aspects of sustainable design, construction and operation to support a resource-efficient circular economy in the construction sector. In this context the fundamental approach of Design for deconstruction assumes a central role and is being discussed together with the complementary concept of Material banks and their digital twinning at the level of components, buildings and markets. [less ▲]

Multiscale Integration of High-Resolution Spaceborne and Drone-Based Imagery for a High-Accuracy Digital Elevation Model Over Tristan da Cunha

in Frontiers in Earth Science (2020)

Very high-resolution (VHR) optical Earth observation (EO) satellites as well as low-altitude and easy-to-use unmanned aerial systems (UAS/drones) provide ever-improving data sources for the generation of ... [more ▼]

Very high-resolution (VHR) optical Earth observation (EO) satellites as well as low-altitude and easy-to-use unmanned aerial systems (UAS/drones) provide ever-improving data sources for the generation of detailed 3-dimensional (3D) data using digital photogrammetric methods with dense image matching. Today both data sources represent cost-effective alternatives to dedicated airborne sensors, especially for remote regions. The latest generation of EO satellites can collect VHR imagery up to 0.30 m ground sample distance (GSD) of even the most remote location from different viewing angles many times per year. Consequently, well-chosen scenes from growing image archives enable the generation of high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs). Furthermore, low-cost and easy to use drones can be quickly deployed in remote regions to capture blocks of images of local areas. Dense point clouds derived from these methods provide an invaluable data source to fill the gap between globally available low-resolution DEMs and highly accurate terrestrial surveys. Here we investigate the use of archived VHR satellite imagery with approx. 0.5 m GSD as well as low-altitude drone-based imagery with average GSD of better than 0.03 m to generate high-quality DEMs using photogrammetric tools over Tristan da Cunha, a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean which lies beyond the reach of current commercial manned airborne mapping platforms. This study explores the potentials and limitations to combine this heterogeneous data sources to generate improved DEMs in terms of accuracy and resolution. A cross-validation between low-altitude airborne and spaceborne data sets describes the fit between both optical data sets. No co-registration error, scale difference or distortions were detected, and a quantitative cloud-to-cloud comparison showed an average distance of 0.26 m between both point clouds. Both point clouds were merged applying a conventional georeferenced approach. The merged DEM preserves the rich detail from the drone-based survey and provides an accurate 3D representation of the entire study area. It provides the most detailed model of the island to date, suitable to support practical and scientific applications. This study demonstrates that combination archived VHR satellite and low-altitude drone-based imagery provide inexpensive alternatives to generate high-quality DEMs. [less ▲]

Low-cost GNSS for Meteorology: A receiver comparison

Poster (2020, February 25)

GNSS, particularly the GPS and GLONASS satellite constellations are commonly used for accurate estimation of atmospheric parameters. The high accuracy is accomplished by sophisticated analysis methods and ... [more ▼]

GNSS, particularly the GPS and GLONASS satellite constellations are commonly used for accurate estimation of atmospheric parameters. The high accuracy is accomplished by sophisticated analysis methods and expensive high-end receivers and antennas along with precise products and bias corrections. The recent market introduction of low-cost dual frequency receivers that can produce raw data from multiple constellations offers an insight into the potential use of these receivers for meteorological applications. Here we demonstrate that GPS and GLONASS measurements from a low-cost dual-frequency receiver can be used to estimate the Zenith Total Delay ( ZTD) commensurate to meteorological applications. [less ▲]

Markov Chain Monte Carlo and the Application to Geodetic Time Series Analysis

in Montillet, Jean-Philippe; Bos, Machiel (Eds.) Geodetic Time Series Analysis in Earth Sciences (2020)

The time evolution of geophysical phenomena can be characterised by stochastic time series. The stochastic nature of the signal stems from the geophysical phenomena involved and any noise, which may be ... [more ▼]

The time evolution of geophysical phenomena can be characterised by stochastic time series. The stochastic nature of the signal stems from the geophysical phenomena involved and any noise, which may be due to, e.g., un-modelled effects or measurement errors. Until the 1990's, it was usually assumed that white noise could fully characterise this noise. However, this was demonstrated to be not the case and it was proven that this assumption leads to underestimated uncertainties of the geophysical parameters inferred from the geodetic time series. Therefore, in order to fully quantify all the uncertainties as robustly as possible, it is imperative to estimate not only the deterministic but also the stochastic parameters of the time series. In this regard, the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method can provide a sample of the distribution function of all parameters, including those regarding the noise, e.g., spectral index and amplitudes. After presenting the MCMC method and its implementation in our MCMC software we apply it to synthetic and real time series and perform a cross-evaluation using Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) as implemented in the CATS software. Several examples as to how the MCMC method performs as a parameter estimation method for geodetic time series are given in this chapter. These include the applications to GPS position time series, superconducting gravity time series and monthly mean sea level (MSL) records, which all show very different stochastic properties. The impact of the estimated parameter uncertainties on sub-sequentially derived products is briefly demonstrated for the case of plate motion models. Finally, the MCMC results for weekly downsampled versions of the benchmark synthetic GNSS time series as provided in Chapter 2 are presented separately in an appendix. [less ▲]

Consolidating Observation of Land and Sea Level Changes around South Georgia Island

Poster (2019, December 13)

With its mid-ocean location in the Southern Atlantic Ocean South Georgia Island is in a key position for the oceanic and geodetic global monitoring networks. Since 2013 the tide gauge at King Edward Point ... [more ▼]

With its mid-ocean location in the Southern Atlantic Ocean South Georgia Island is in a key position for the oceanic and geodetic global monitoring networks. Since 2013 the tide gauge at King Edward Point (KEP) with GLOSS ID 187 has been monitored using a GNSS station nearby on Brown Mountain. By accurately geo-referencing the tide gauge and monitoring any vertical land movements, a continuous record of its datum within the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) can be established, which in turn makes the recorded and averaged sea levels useful for long-term studies and satellite altimetry calibrations. In 2014 another GNSS station was installed at KEP after local subsidence was sus-pected and later on three additional GNSS stations came to service at the periphery of the main island, making it possible to monitor uplift/subsidence wider afield. Further-more, together with four precise levelling campaigns of the KEP benchmark network in 2013, 2014 and two in 2017, it has also been possible to investigate the very local character of the vertical motions near KEP, i.e. the stability of the jetty upon which the tide gauge is mounted. In this study, we will present the results from the GNSS and precise levelling meas-urements, and will discuss their impact on the sea level record from the KEP tide gauge and nearby satellite altimetry sea surface heights. This study comes at a timely manner as during the Austral Summer 2019/2020 the jetty will be stabilized and en-larged, and consequently the current tide gauge will be replaced by a new one. Our measurements show that uplift is observed all over South Georgia Island while the ar-ea at KEP and particularly the jetty with tide gauge are subsiding relative to the rest of the island. In contrast, results for the tide gauge record show a lower magnitude of ob-served sea level rise than expected from nearby satellite altimetry. We will revisit all geodetic and oceanic observations in an attempt to improve the agreement between these measurements to summarize the status before the work at the jetty begins. [less ▲]

Tracking hurricanes Harvey and Irma using GPS tropospheric products

Poster (2019, December 10)

The 2017 Hurricanes season was one of the most powerful severe weather events producing catastrophic socio-economic and environmental effects on the east coast of the United States. Therefore, tracking ... [more ▼]

The 2017 Hurricanes season was one of the most powerful severe weather events producing catastrophic socio-economic and environmental effects on the east coast of the United States. Therefore, tracking their path accurately is extremely useful. Today Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tropospheric products, such as Zenith Wet Delays (ZWD), and Integrated Water Vapor (IWV) are used as complementary data sets in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models. In this study, we employed GPS-derived IWV and horizontal tropospheric gradient information to monitor and investigate the complicated characteristics of hurricane events in their spatial and temporal distribution using a dense ground network of GPS stations. Our results show that a surge in GPS-derived IWV occurred several hours prior to the manifestation of the major hurricanes Harvey and Irma. We used the derived GPS-derived IWV information as input to spaghetti lines weather models, allowing us to predict the paths of Harvey and Irma hurricanes. As such, a parameter directly estimated from GPS can provide an additional resource for improving the monitoring of hurricane paths [less ▲]

A comparison between conventional Earth Observation Satellites and CubeSats; Requirements, Capabilities and Data Quality

Scientific Conference (2019, September 11)

From its early beginning as an educational tool in 1999, cubesats have evolved into a popular platform for technology demonstrations and scientific instruments. Ideas and innovations sparked from an ... [more ▼]

From its early beginning as an educational tool in 1999, cubesats have evolved into a popular platform for technology demonstrations and scientific instruments. Ideas and innovations sparked from an enthusiastic community led to the development of new Earth Observation (EO) technology concepts based on large constellations of satellites with high-resolution optical imagers previously considered as infeasible. Probably the most significant constellation today is deployed by Planet who are currently operating a fleet larger than 120 3U Dove satellites, which provide an imaging service with up to 3m Ground Sample Distance (GSD). The number of low-cost EO Cubesat systems is constantly increasing. However, for a number of reasons there still seems to be a reluctance to use such data for many EO applications. A better understanding of the capabilities of the current generation of small Cubesats compared to the traditional well-established bigger operational missions of high and medium resolution EO satellites is required. What are the critical capabilities and quality indicators? Due to the limited size and weight of Cubesats, critical system components, e.g. for navigation and communication, always compete with operational payloads such as optical camera/sensor systems. A functional EO system requires balanced payload, which provides adequate navigational capabilities, that match the requirements of the optical imagers (camera) deployed with the system. This study reviews the current performance and capabilities of Cubesats for optical EO and compares them to the capabilities of conventional, dedicated high and medium resolution EO systems. We summarise key performance parameters and quality indicators to evaluate the difference between the systems. An empirical study compares recent very high-resolution (VHR) imagery from big EO satellite missions with available images from Cubesats for the use case in disaster monitoring. Small and agile Nanosatellites or Cubesats already show remarkable performance. Although it is not expected that their performance and capability will match those of current bigger EO satellite missions, they are expected to provide a valuable tool for EO and remote sensing, in particular for downstream industry applications. [less ▲]