Exploiting GNSS for Atmospheric Remote Sensing

Dr. S. Skone
Department of Geomatics Engineering
University of Calgary

Since 1993, twenty-four or more Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites have provided all-weather worldwide coverage and positioning capabilities. The satellite signals experience delays in the neutral atmosphere, with the resulting range errors being dependent on the atmospheric water vapour. This effect can be isolated and estimated in near real-time, and GPS can be exploited as an atmospheric remote sensing tool. If observations are available from a network of ground-based GPS reference stations, it is possible to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of water vapour with high resolution in near real-time. Radio occultations from GPS receivers onboard low-earth orbiters may also be used to derive high-resolution vertical profiles of the atmospheric refractivity. With the anticipated advances in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), which includes a second civilian GPS frequency and deployment of the 30-satellite triple-frequency Galileo system, there is significant potential for developing new atmosphere estimation techniques using GNSS technology. Practical applications include meteorology, hydrology and precise positioning. In this lecture, techniques for water vapour estimation using GNSS will be presented, with a focus on meteorology applications and relevant national and international research initiatives.

Biography

Susan Skone, Ph.D. (1999, University of Calgary), is an Associate Professor in Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary. She has a background in space physics and has conducted extensive research in modeling ionospheric and tropospheric effects on GPS. She has developed licensed software for atmospheric research, and has received multiple national and international awards. She serves as co-chair of an international study group focused on remote sensing of the atmosphere using GNSS, and is a lead co-investigator for the CHAMP satellite mission. She is currently chair of the Canadian Navigation Society.