Ionosphere Scintillation-Induced Deep Fades
Brian Breitsch\(^1\) Jade Morton\(^1\)
Dongyang Xu \(^2\) Yang Rong \(^1\)
and Their Effect on GNSS Carrier Phase
ION/IEEE PLANS 2018
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4154939/Boulder-FL-master-transparent.png)
1. University of Colorado Boulder
2. Colorado State University
Motivation: Impact of Deep Fades Due to Ionosphere Scintillation
Theory: Scintillation Simulation and Modeling Deep Fades
Data: Examples of Canonical Fades and Fulle-Cycle Transitions
Next Steps: Triple-Frequency Potential for Mitigation and Correction
Carrier Phase Measurement
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/3922194/bpsk-sinusoid.png)
IONOSPHERE ERROR
AMBIGUITY / BIAS TERMS
SYSTEMATIC ERRORS / SCINTILLATION / MULTIPATH
FREQUENCY INDEPENDENT EFFECTS
carrier frequency \(f_i\)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4169055/low-elevation-gps-2.png)
particularly present in signals from satellites at low elevation
Triple-Frequency Range and TEC Estimates
ionosphere-free
geometry-free
Dual-Frequency Analogy:
Ionosphere-Free Range Estimate
Geometry-Free TEC Estimate
(they exist)
Ionosphere Scintillation
L5
L2
L1
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4711715/scint-phase-screen.png)
ionosphere phase screen
2013, Ascension Island, PRN 24
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853841/carrier_100-5000.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853843/si-detr_0-5000.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853857/ascension-island-img.jpg)
fading of 15 to 20 dB or more in signal amplitude
Deep Fading
canonical fades: associated with half-cycle phase changes
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4854044/si-carrier-detr-example_4300-4360.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853964/L5-si-carrier-detr-example_4542-4552.png)
L5
L2
L1
Impact on Range and TEC Estimates
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853827/tec_3000-5000.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853829/geometry_3000-5000.png)
Motivation: Impact of Deep Fades Due to Ionosphere Scintillation
Theory: Scintillation Simulation and Modeling Deep Fades
Data: Examples of Canonical Fades and Fulle-Cycle Transitions
Next Steps: Triple-Frequency Potential for Mitigation and Correction
Simulating Scintillation
- stochastic scintillation realizations using iterative parameter estimation (IPE) technique
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4488231/Peru_G01_20130311_fit.png)
fit real SI PSD to scintillation theory
generate random field realizations
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4711715/scint-phase-screen.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720359/simulation-example_sim-1-min.png)
simulation
Simulating Scintillation
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720435/simulation-example_sim-close-up.png)
shows validation of occurrence of full-cycle transitions during canonical fades
simulation
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4711715/scint-phase-screen.png)
Modeling Deep Fades
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853446/phasor-modulation-diagram.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853443/phasor-modulation-diagram-2.png)
detrended scintillation: colored complex noise
What Can Happen To Phase During a Deep Fade?
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720337/deep-fade-scenario-A.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720339/deep-fade-scenario-B.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720340/deep-fade-scenario-C.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720341/deep-fade-scenario-D.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853446/phasor-modulation-diagram.png)
Motivation: Impact of Deep Fades Due to Ionosphere Scintillation
Theory: Scintillation Simulation and Modeling Deep Fades
Data: Examples of Canonical Fades and Fulle-Cycle Transitions
Next Steps: Triple-Frequency Potential for Mitigation and Correction
Phase Behavior in Real Data
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720330/carrier-phase-detr_fade-example_404.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720331/carrier-phase-detr_fade-example_407.png)
L5
L2
L1
Phase Behavior in Real Data
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720334/carrier-phase-detr_fade-example_416.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720335/carrier-phase-detr_fade-example_419.png)
L5
L2
L1
Phase Behavior in Real Data
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720332/carrier-phase-detr_fade-example_408.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720336/carrier-phase-detr_fade-example_420.png)
L5
L2
L1
Motivation: Impact of Deep Fades Due to Ionosphere Scintillation
Theory: Scintillation Simulation and Modeling Deep Fades
Data: Examples of Canonical Fades and Fulle-Cycle Transitions
Next Steps: Triple-Frequency Potential for Mitigation and Correction
Information From Triple-Frequency Measurements
Geometry-Ionosphere-Free Combination
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720352/gifc.png)
deep fading
deep fading
Geometry-Ionosphere-Free Combination
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720334/carrier-phase-detr_fade-example_416.png)
potential use in identifying / correcting full-cycle transitions
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720508/gifc_fade-example_416.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4720354/legend.png)
Take-Aways
- strong ionosphere scintillation contains deep fades with associated canonical fade phase behavior
- sometimes, these canonical fades are associated with full-cycle phase transitions, which cause large errors in TEC and range measurements
- multi-frequency signal measurements are necessary to discriminate when full-cycle transitions occur
Next Steps
- detect and remove full-cycle transitions
- improve tracking performance during deep fading
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Contact
Brian Breitsch
brianbreitsch@gmail.com
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/155595/images/4853435/cu-sense-logo.png)
Ionosphere Scintillation-Induced Deep Fades and Their Effect on GNSS Carrier Phase
By Brian Breitsch
Ionosphere Scintillation-Induced Deep Fades and Their Effect on GNSS Carrier Phase
ION PLANS meeting 2018
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