INTRODUCTION TO GPS/GNSS BASICS

Vince Cronin (Baylor University) & Shelly Olds (EarthScope)

Revisions by Beth Pratt-Sitaula (EarthScope)

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation’s Version: 07, 2019
Directorate for Education and Human Resources TUES-1245025, IUSE-
1612248, IUSE-1725347, and IUSE-1914915. Questions,
Questions, contact
contact education-AT-earthscope.org
education-AT-unavco.org
MOTIVATIONS
1. Describe the Global Navigation Satellite
System (GNSS) and how it enables
positioning
2. Distinguish different grades of GNSS
receivers, their uses, and their accuracies.
3. Highlight applications of GNSS in the
Geosciences
GPS RECEIVERS ALL AROUND US
GPS PROVIDES 3D POSITIONING
• Positions on the earth can be reported using:
• Cartesian coordinates (relative to the earth’s center)
• Geographic coordinates (lat., long., elev., in deg.)
• Projected coordinates (UTM, state plane, in m or ft)

Cartesian (X,Y,Z) Geographic System Projected System

(Figures: Ian Lauer, modified from Common Domain)
TYPICAL GPS COORDINATES
• Most GPS data is recorded and reported using:
– Geographic Coordinates
• World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 84)
– A reference surface or datum composed of an ellipsoid
– A geoid model (gravitational equipotential surface, EGM96)
• Remember, elevations can be reported as ellipsoidal heights or
orthometric heights

(Figure: Ian Lauer)

MULTIPLE SATELLITE SYSTEMS
• There are multiple Global Navigation Satellite Systems
(GNSS)
• GPS: USA, global
• GLONAS: Russia, global
• After 2020:
• BieDou: China, global
• Galileo: Europe, global
• India, France, and Japan: developing regional systems
THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
• 24–32 satellites
• 20,200 km altitude
• 55 degrees inclination
• 12-hour orbital period
• Need 4 satellites to be
accurate
• Ground control
stations
• Each satellite passes
over a ground
monitoring station
every 12 hours
GPS SATELLITE

Artist’s conception of a GPS Block II-F satellite in Earth orbit (public domain from NASA)
GROUND CONTROL STATIONS
The tracking information from the monitoring stations is
sent to the Air Force Space Command, which is operated
by the 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) of the US
Air Force.
2 SOPS contacts each GPS satellite regularly with a
navigational update using the dedicated ground antennas.

These updates synchronize the atomic clocks on the

satellites to within a few nanoseconds of each other and
adjust the ephemeris of each satellite's internal orbital
model.
ALMANAC & EPHEMERIS DATA
• GPS satellites include almanac and ephemeris
data in the signals they transmit
• Almanac data are coarse orbital parameters
for all GPS satellites
• Ephemeris data are very precise orbital and
clock correction for that particular GPS
satellite—necessary for precise positioning
ANTENNAS RECEIVE DATA STREAMS

Your location is:

37o 23.323’ N
122o 02.162’ W
The time is:
11:34.9722 (UTC)
ERRORS (after 24 hrs) ERRORS
Horiz: +/- 1–2 mm (<1/8 in)
Vert: +/- 5 mm (1/4 in) Horiz: +/- 10 m (30 ft)
Vert: +/- 15 m (45 ft)
HOW SATELLITE-RECEIVER DISTANCE IS
MEASURED

• Radio signal from satellite tells GPS receiver the satellite-

clock time and provides the most recent corrections to
the satellite’s position relative to Earth (ephemeris)
• GPS receiver compares the satellite-times to receiver-time
to determine the distance to each satellite
HOW ACTUAL LOCATION IS DETERMINED

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gps-pizza/en/

Antenna position is determined by calculating the

distances to at least 4 satellites. This enables the solving
for four variables: x, y, z and time using trilateration.
ANATOMY OF A HIGH-PRECISION PERMANENT
GPS STATION GPS antenna inside of dome

Monument solidly attached

into the ground with braces.

If the ground moves, the

station moves.

Solar panel for power

Equipment enclosure
• GPS receiver
• Power/batteries
• Communications/radio/
modem
• Data storage/memory
HIGH-PRECISION GPS

• Stable monuments
• Multiple stations
• Sophisticated processing
• Collecting lots of data
• Using the carrier phase
• Dual-frequency receivers
• High-precision orbital information
(ephemeris)
 with several years of data can determine
velocities to 1–2 mm/yr
GPS & ATOMIC CLOCKS
Each GPS satellite has 4 atomic clocks, to be sure that one is
always working. Each costs ~US$100,000 and is accurate to 1
billionth of a second (1 nanosecond).
SOURCES OF ERROR
Some GPS Error Sources
• Selective Availability (ephemeris data encrypted by
military—turned off in 2000)
• Satellite orbit irregularities
• Satellite and receiver clock errors
• Atmospheric delays—speed of light is affected by
water content and other variables in the atmosphere
• Multi-path—GPS signals can bounce off the ground
and then enter the antenna, rather than only
entering from above only
• Human errors
GRADES OF GNSS SYSTEMS
• Consumer or Recreational Grade
– Phones, tablets, watches, hiking devices
– ~5 meters, No post-processing required
• Mapping Grade
– Purpose built, GIS enabled, data collectors
– ~30 cm, Post-processing/correction required
• Survey Grade
– Professional tools, Longer occupations, Static and
kinematic devices
– ~3 mm to 2 cm precision. Considerable post-processing
required
 PRECISION DEPENDS ON SYSTEM
Occupation Time or Effort Required

Hard

Static, Geodetic
Campaign Systems

Kinematic
Systems
Recreational
& Mapping
Systems
Easy

Survey Grade

0.5-5 m 0.01–0.03 m 0.005m

Precision of Position
(Images: Ben Crosby)
APPLICATIONS OF GNSS
• Recreational & Mapping Systems (phones,
consumer-type, mobile GIS devices)
– Inexpensive, low complexity, short
occupations, rapid results, low-precision
positions
• Kinematic Systems (Unit 2)
– Expensive, moderate complexity, short
occupations, positions can be rapid or
require post-processing, high-precision
positions
• Static Systems (Unit 3)
– Expensive, high complexity, long
occupations required, long and complex
post-processing required, extremely high-
precision positions. (Images: Ben Crosby)
EXAMPLE 1: TRACKING POSITION
• Using Recreational Systems
– Use a phone to track your positon during a field day.
– Can quickly assess the area or position of an object.

From the field… …to the phone… …to analysis in GIS.

(Images: Ben Crosby)
EXAMPLE 2: CREATING TOPOGRAPHY
• Using Kinematic Systems
– Quickly measure many points with high accuracy and
precision
– Compare different surfaces to quantify permafrost thaw

From the field … … o post- … to surface generation

processed points … using GIS.
(Images: Ben Crosby)
 EXAMPLE 3: CHANGE DETECTION
• Using Static Systems
– Measure a small number of points over a long duration
– Can resolve small changes in position, e.g. tracking
landslides

From the field … … to four post- … to mm scale

processed points … time series.
(Dorsch, 2004 Thesis)
SOCIETAL VALUE OF GNSS-ENABLED
RESEARCH
• Most people use it for location and navigation
• But … GNSS-enabled science also provides:
– Hazard early warning systems, saving lives
• Landslide activity
• Volcano inflation
• Fault movement
– Precise measurements of objects
• Water resources (aquifers, snow pack, etc.)
• Tracking of objects (organisms, rocks, currents)
– Without GNSS, we could not know where things are
when without directly measuring them.
SOCIETAL VALUE OF GNSS-ENABLED
RESEARCH
• Most people use it for location and navigation,
but how do earth scientists use GNSS?
– Think-Pair-Share discussion

– How do earth scientists use GNSS?

• List as many applications as you can.
– How do these uses benefit society?
• Categorize each as a direct or indirect benefit.
– Direct benefits are immediate and improve lives
– Indirect benefits help humans, but are a few steps removed
SOCIETAL VALUE OF GNSS-ENABLED
RESEARCH
• Most people use it for location and navigation,
but how do Earth Scientists use GNSS?
– How do earth scientists use GNSS?
• (type student applications here)
– How do these uses benefit society?
• Direct
– (type student benefits here)
• Indirect
– (type student benefits here)
END LECTURE