A Method to Monitor the Irregularity in Tropospheric Delay between Reference Stations of a Network RTK

Abstract

Network RTK generates spatial corrections by using differenced measurements from reference stations in the network, and the corrections are then provided to a rover. The rover, generally, uses linear interpolation, which assumes that the corrections at each reference station are spatially correlated, to obtain a precise correction of its location. However, an irregularity in the tropospheric delay is a real-world factor that violates this assumption. Tropospheric delay is a result of weather conditions, such as humidity, temperature and pressure, and it can cause spatial decorrelation when there are changes in the local climate. In this paper, we have defined the non-linear characteristics of the tropospheric delay between reference stations within a region as the “irregularity in tropospheric delay.” Such an irregularity can negatively impact the network RTK performance. Therefore, we have used meteorological data to analyze the influence of the irregularity in tropospheric delay, and we propose a method for monitoring it.rrections at each reference station are spatially correlated, to obtain a precise correction of its location. However, an irregularity in the tropospheric delay is a real-world factor that violates this assumption. Tropospheric delay is a result of weather conditions, such as humidity, temperature and pressure, and it can cause spatial decorrelation when there are changes in the local climate. In this paper, we have defined the non-linear characteristics of the tropospheric delay between reference stations within a region as the “irregularity in tropospheric delay.” Such an irregularity can negatively impact the network RTK performance. Therefore, we have used meteorological data to analyze the influence of the irregularity in tropospheric delay, and we propose a method for monitoring it.