Adjusting CCIR Maps to Improve Local Behaviour of Ionospheric Models

• Main Authors: Haris Haralambous, Theodoros Leontiou, Vasilis Petrou, Arun Kumar Singh, Marios Charalambides, Nikos Lithoxopoulos, Agis Agisilaou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Atmosphere
• Subjects: ionosphere; GNSS; total electron content; Galileo; NeQuick model
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/6/691

The objective of this article is to present a concept for single-frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning local ionospheric mitigation over a certain area. This concept is based on input parameters driving the NeQuick-G algorithm (the ionospheric single-frequency GNSS correction algorithm adopted by Galileo GNSS system), estimated on a local as opposed to a global scale, from ionospheric characteristics measured by a digital ionosonde and a collocated dual-frequency Total Electron Content (TEC) monitor. This approach facilitates the local adjustment of Committee Consultative for Ionospheric Radiowave propagation (CCIR) files and the Az ionization level, which control the ionospheric electron density profile in NeQuick-G, therefore enabling better estimation of positioning errors under quiet geomagnetic conditions. This novel concept for local ionospheric positioning error mitigation may be adopted at any location where ionospheric characteristics foF2 and M(3000)F2 can be measured, as a means to enhance the accuracy of single-frequency positioning applications based on the NeQuick-G algorithm.