Use of GLONASS for studying the ionosphere

• Published in: Russian journal of physical chemistry. B Vol. 9; no. 5; pp. 770 - 777
• Main Authors: Shagimuratov, I. I., Chernyak, Yu. V., Zakharenkova, I. E., Tepenitsyna, N. Yu, Radievskii, A. V., Efishov, I. I., Yakimova, G. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01-09-2015
• Subjects: Chemical Physics of Atmospheric Phenomena; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Physical Chemistry; total electron content (TEC); GPS; ionosphere; GLONASS
• ISSN: 1990-7931; 1990-7923
• DOI: 10.1134/S1990793115050243

Results of using the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) to measure absolute values of the ionosphere’s total electron content (TEC) are presented. Specific features of configurations and differences in parameters of GLONASS and GPS are given, and their impact on TEC evaluation is analyzed. The statistical analysis is also carried out for comparing the TEC measurement data obtained from the GPS and GLONASS observations; a high correlation between measurements of both systems is shown. Investigations have revealed that the use of both systems allows of extending the possibilities of their employment for studying the ionosphere’s structure and dynamics. To restore the diurnal behavior of TEC of the ionosphere above the observation station, the phase measurements are proposed to be taken as input data. Their advantage over the group measurements is not only their high accuracy but the fact that they are less subject to the multipath effect. The technique for processing the phase observations implemented for GLONASS is an essential part of the system for monitoring of the ionosphere over the European part of p]Russia, which is under development at the West Department of Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere, and Radio Wave Propagation.