Assessment of GPS carrier-phase stability for time-transfer applications

We have conducted global positioning system (GPS) carrier-phase time-transfer experiments between the master clock (MC) at the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) in Washington, DC and the alternate master clock (AMC) at Schriever Air Force Base near Colorado Springs, Colorado. These clocks are also monitored on an hourly basis with two-way satellite time-transfer (TWSTT) measurements. We compared the performance of the GPS carrier phase and TWSTT systems over a 236-d period. Because of power problems and data outages during the carrier-phase experiment, the longest continuous time span is 96 d. The data from this period show agreement with TWSTT within +/-1 ns, apart from an overall constant time offset (caused by unknown delays in the GPS hardware at both ends). For averaging times of a day, the carrier-phase and TWSTT systems have a frequency uncertainty of 2.5 and 5.5 parts in 10(15), respectively.     

A straightforward frequency-estimation technique for GPS carrier-phase time transfer

Although Global Positioning System (GPS) carrier-phase time transfer (GPSCPTT) offers frequency stability approaching 10-15 at averaging times of 1 d, a discontinuity occurs in the time-transfer estimates between the end of one processing batch (1-3 d in length) and the beginning of the next. The average frequency over a multiday analysis period often has been computed by first estimating and removing these discontinuities, i.e., through concatenation. We present a new frequency-estimation technique in which frequencies are computed from the individual batches then averaged to obtain the mean frequency for a multiday period. This allows the frequency to be computed without the uncertainty associated with the removal of the discontinuities and requires fewer computational resources. The new technique was tested by comparing the fractional frequency-difference values it yields to those obtained using a GPSCPTT concatenation method and those obtained using two-way satellite time-and-frequency transfer (TWSTFT). The clocks studied were located in Braunschweig, Germany, and in Boulder, CO. The frequencies obtained from the GPSCPTT measurements using either method agreed with those obtained from TWSTFT at several parts in 1016. The frequency values obtained from the GPSCPTT data by use of the new method agreed with those obtained using the concatenation technique at 1-4 x 10(-16).     

Time transfer using multi-channel GPS receivers

This report is on time transfer experiments using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver constructed using a commercial GPS "engine" and a standard PC. The receiver measures the time difference between the local clock and a 1 pps signal synchronized to GPS time using data from up to 8 satellites. The receiver also reports the difference between GPS time as estimated using each of the satellites being tracked and the composite output pulses that have a rate of 1 Hz (1 pps signal). These data can be used to construct the standard 13-minute tracks as defined in the BIPM standard; the same data also can be averaged in other ways that make better use of the multi-channel capabilities of the hardware. The 13-minute averages can be directly compared with standard time-transfer receivers using common-view analysis. The results of the tests suggest that the methods currently used for national and international time and frequency coordination should be re-examined, and an alternative approach based on multi-channel receivers is suggested that should be more flexible, simpler, and easier to operate than the current system.     

Improvement of the Asia-Pacific TWSTFT network solutions by using DPN results

Two major time and frequency transfer techniques, two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS: GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, etc.), are used for the generation of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)/International Atomic Time (TAI). These time and frequency transfer links comprise a worldwide network and the utilization of the highly redundant time and frequency data is an important topic. Two methods, either TW-only network (i.e., TWSTFT) or single-link combination of TW and Global Positioning System (GPS), have been developed for combining the redundant data from different techniques. In our previous study, we have proposed a feasible method, utilizing full time-transfer network data, to improve the results of TWSTFT network. The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has recently developed a software-based two-way time-transfer modem using a dual pseudo-random noise (DPN) signal. The first international DPN TWSTFT experiment, using these modems, was performed between NICT (Japan) and Telecommunication Laboratories (TL; Taiwan)and its ability to improve the time transfer precision was demonstrated. In comparison with the conventional NICT–TLTWSTFT link, the DPN time transfer results have higher precision and lower diurnal effects. The estimation also shows that DPN is comparable to GPS precise point positioning (PPP).Because the DPN results show better performance than the conventional TWSTFT results, we would adopt the DPN data for the NICT–TL link and solve the TW+DPN network solutions by using our proposed method. The concept of this application is similar to the so-called multi-technique-network time/frequency transfer. The encouraging results confirm that the TWSTFT network performance can benefit from DPN data by improving short-term stabilities and reducing diurnal effects.The results of TW+PPP network solutions are also illustrated.     

Continuous geodetic time-transfer analysis methods

We address two issues that limit the quality of time and frequency transfer by carrier phase measurements from the Global Positioning System (GPS). The first issue is related to inconsistencies between code and phase observations. We describe and classify several types of events that can cause inconsistencies and observe that some of them are related to the internal clock of the GPS receiver. Strategies to detect and overcome time-code inconsistencies have been developed and implemented into the Bernese GPS Software package. For the moment, only inconsistencies larger than the 20 ns code measurement noise level can be detected automatically. The second issue is related to discontinuities at the day boundaries that stem from the processing of the data in daily batches. Two new methods are discussed: clock handover and ambiguity stacking. The two approaches are tested on data obtained from a network of stations, and the results are compared with an independent time-transfer method. Both methods improve the stability of the transfer for short averaging times, but there is no benefit for averaging times longer than 8 days. We show that continuous solutions are sufficiently robust against modeling and preprocessing errors to prevent the solution from accumulating a permanent bias.     

Further Characterization of the Time Transfer Capabilities of Precise Point Positioning (PPP): The Sliding Batch Procedure

In recent years, many national timing laboratories have installed geodetic Global Positioning System receivers together with their traditional GPS/GLONASS Common View receivers and Two Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer equipment. Many of these geodetic receivers operate continuously within the International GNSS Service (IGS), and their data are regularly processed by IGS Analysis Centers. From its global network of over 350 stations and its Analysis Centers, the IGS generates precise combined GPS ephemeredes and station and satellite clock time series referred to the IGS Time Scale. A processing method called Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is in use in the geodetic community allowing precise recovery of GPS antenna position, clock phase, and atmospheric delays by taking advantage of these IGS precise products. Previous assessments, carried out at Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM; formerly IEN) with a PPP implementation developed at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), showed PPP clock solutions have better stability over short/medium term than GPS CV and GPS P3 methods and significantly reduce the day-boundary discontinuities when used in multi-day continuous processing, allowing time-limited, campaign-style time-transfer experiments. This paper reports on follow-on work performed at INRiM and NRCan to further characterize and develop the PPP method for time transfer applications, using data from some of the National Metrology Institutes. We develop a processing procedure that takes advantage of the improved stability of the phase-connected multiday PPP solutions while allowing the generation of continuous clock time series, more applicable to continuous operation/ monitoring of timing equipment.     

First international two-way satellite time and frequency transfer experiment employing dual pseudo-random noise codes

Two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) is one of the main techniques used to compare atomic time scales over long distances. To both improve the precision of TWSTFT and decrease the satellite link fee, a new software-defined modem with dual pseudo-random noise (DPN) codes has been developed. In this paper, we demonstrate the first international DPN-based TWSTFT experiment over a period of 6 months. The results of DPN exhibit excellent performance, which is competitive with the Global Positioning System (GPS) precise point positioning (PPP) technique in the short-term and consistent with the conventional TWSTFT in the long-term. Time deviations of less than 75 ps are achieved for averaging times from 1 s to 1 d. Moreover, the DPN data has less diurnal variation than that of the conventional TWSTFT. Because the DPN-based system has advantages of higher precision and lower bandwidth cost, it is one of the most promising methods to improve international time-transfer links.     

Near real-time comparison and monitoring of time scales with precise point positioning using NRCan ultra-rapid products

This paper experimentally evaluates the assessment of precise point positioning (PPP) using the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Ultra-Rapid GPS products to serve as a short latency time-transfer tool to assist timing laboratories in operational maintenance of frequency standards and time scale dissemination. An automated data exchange and processing system has been set up to serve the international community for efficient, nearly real-time clock comparison and monitoring purposes.     

GPS载波相位时间频率传递的研究

构建了GPS载波相位时间频率传递系统,初步实现了GPS载波相位时间频率传递.使用GPS载波相位进行了两种不同类型的实验,包括零基线和长基线实验.在数据处理中,使用了专业GPS测地软件包结合自主开发的软件处理30 s间隔GPS载波相位观测数据,分析了1 min间隔的相对时钟估计结果.零基线实验结果表明,GPS载波相位时间频率传递在1d内的数据有约100 ps的时间稳定度,即在采样间隔为1 d时,与之对应的频率不确定度约为2×10~(-15);通过计算其阿伦方差可以看出,其具备远程测量某些原子钟(包括一些铯钟)频率稳定度的能力.在长基线实验中,GPS载波相位时间频率传递在一天的数据中具有约900 ps的时间稳定度,即在采样间隔为1 d时,与之对应的频率不确定度约为2×10~(-14).     

Recent Development and Utilization of Two-Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer

TWSTFT (Two Way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer) has been developed for a long time, and has become one of the most precise and accurate techniques for comparison of the frequency standards located at remote sites. Since 1999, TWSTFT has been used in TAI (International Atomic Time) generation. More than two-thirds of TAI clocks and almost all the primary frequency standards are transferred using TWSTFT. To increase the time transfer precision and stability, several calibration methods were developed and the possible instability sources were investigated. Due to the high redundancy of the time transfer links and quick developments of independent time transfer techniques (e.g. GPS), much utilization was proposed to enhance the robustness, to reduce the uncertainty, and to reduce the diurnal effect of TWSTFT. For example, one can adopt the concept of network time transfer to improve the short term stability, or combine the data of different time transfer techniques to take their advantages. The numerical results of network time transfer are very promising. For the future development, a newly developed DPN-based TWSTFT method shows competitive performance with the GPS PPP and much less diurnals than the conventional TWSTFT. It is a very promising method for the next-generation TWSTFT. This paper will give an overview of the above topics.     

时间频率传递GPS接收机内延迟差分校准技术研究

在BIPM差分校准方法基础上,实现了改进的可对时间频率传递GPS接收机内延迟进行单独校准的差分校准方法。以一台经过内延迟校准的接收机作为参考,利用改进的差分校准方法,对另一台基于Javad E_GGD GPS接收模块的自主研制的时间频率传递GPS接收机进行了内延迟校准,校准不确定度优于6ns,与绝对校准方法符合度优于1ns。     

Continuous time transfer using GPS carrier phase

The Astronomical Institute of the University of Berne is hosting one of the Analysis Centers (AC) of the International GPS Service (IGS). A network of a few GPS stations in Europe and North America is routinely analyzed for time transfer purposes, using the carrier phase observations. This work is done in the framework of a joint project with the Swiss Federal Office of Metrology and Accreditation (METAS). The daily solutions are computed independently. The resulting time transfer series show jumps of up to 1 ns at the day boundaries. A method to concatenate the daily time transfer solutions to a continuous series was developed. A continuous time series is available for a time span of more than 4 mo. The results were compared with the time transfer results from other techniques such as two-way satellite time and frequency transfer. This concatenation improves the results obtained in a daily computing scheme because a continuous time series better reflects the characteristics of continuously working clocks.     

Dual update-rate carrier tracking technique for new generation global navigation satellite system signals in dynamic environments

With the upcoming of modernised Global Positioning System (GPS) and Galileo, the new generation global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) will be able to provide the users a better positioning performance. An important modification on most of the new generation GNSS signal structures is the availability of the pilot channel, which stands for an additional measurement obtained; moreover, a pure phase-locked loop (PLL) can be used in carrier-phase tracking loop. Utilising this characteristic, the authors present a dual update-rate PLL for modernised GNSS signals to deal with the well-known dilemma that the usage of long coherent integral time can help in reducing the noise from thermal effects, whereas the usage of short coherent integral time can permit the tracking loop to suffer more dynamics stress. By processing data and pilot channels with different coherent integral times, different discriminators, and then performing the fusion of those two different update-rate measurements in a Kalman-filter-based loop filter, this loop offers several advantages over the traditional methods in dynamic and low carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) environments. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed dual update-rate PLL shows good performance in both dynamic and low CNR environments.     

Accuracy of International Time and Frequency Comparisons via Global Positioning System Satellites in Common-View

Frequency differences between major national timing centers are being resolved with uncertainty of less than 1 part in 1014, using satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in common-view. Portable clock and GPS time differences are in excellent agreement. Around the world GPS measurement between three laboratories had a time residual of 5.1 ns.     

CMM尺寸测量的不确定度评定模型研究

研究了坐标测量机(CMM)尺寸测量的不确定度评定方法。建立了符合ISO国际标准的测量不确定度评定黑箱模型。利用测量系统分析的方法,对6项量值特性指标引入的不确定度分量进行量化分析或实验标定,依据产品几何技术规范给出了各不确定度分量的评定模型。最后,通过工件直径测量的不确定度评定实例验证该方法的可行性。实验结果表明CMM尺寸测量的不确定度主要来源是偏倚和线性,不确定度分量为1.88μm,是所有其他分量合成的2倍以上,而温度补偿引入的不确定度分量仅为0.04μm,在实际测量中可忽略不计。     

非线性动力方程的精细时空有限元方法

根据Hamilton变作用定律构造了时空有限元矩阵;并根据传递矩阵原理,利用时间的一维性将时空有限元矩阵变换为时间方向的传递矩阵,将初值问题转化为一般矩阵相乘问题以方便求解。为了保证计算的稳定性,参考了精细积分的思想提出精细时空有限元方法,并给出线性问题在时间级数荷载作用下的计算式。数值分析结果证明该方法在线性问题分析上非常准确并可以推广到非线性动力方程的求解;只需将非线性解看作初始解和增量解的叠加,通过精细时空有限元线性求解方法计算增量解,逐步修正后即可得到非线性解。结果表明该方法是一个有效的求解非线性动力方程的方法。     

Time Transfer by Passive Listening Over a 10-Gb/s Optical Fiber

A technique for time and frequency transfer over an asynchronous fiber optical transmission control protocol (TCP)/IP network is being developed in Sweden by SP Measurement Technology together with STUPI. The technique is based on passive listening to existing data traffic at 10 Gb/s in the network. Since the network is asynchronous, intermediate supporting clocks will be located and compared at each router. We detect, with a specially designed high-speed optoelectronic device, a header recognizer, the frame alignment bytes of the synchronous optical network (SONET)/synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) protocol, as a reference for the supporting clock comparison. The goal of the project is to establish a time transfer system with an accuracy on the nanosecond level. In this paper, we present the results of a time transfer over a distance of 5 km. We have compared two clocks: a cesium clock at the Swedish National Laboratory for time and frequency and a remote rubidium clock. The results of the time transfer with the fiber link have been simultaneously compared to measurements with a Global Positioning System (GPS) carrier phase link in terms of precision and stability. The root-mean-square (rms) difference between the time difference measured with the fiber link and the GPS link is approximately 300 ps. A large part of the difference is due to the heating of the GPS antenna cable, which introduces daily delay variations on the order of 1 ns from peak to peak. For one of the days with small day-to-day variations in temperature, the corresponding rms difference is 72 ps, and the Allan deviation is below 30 ps for averaging times longer than 5 min.     

新型空腔式黑体辐射源设计及不确定度评定

为促进恒温槽内空腔黑体与载热工质之间的热交换,提出了一种附加被动扰流装置的黑体空腔辐射源的设计方法.通过新设计的空腔外壁微扰动结构,对载热工质施加干扰,使流体热边界层破坏并再生,利用热边界层初段传热强度高的原理强化传热.此设计既可以提高换热系数,又可以增加换热面积,减少空腔与载热工质达到热平衡所需的时间.对新型的耳温计...     

一种新型GPS冗余授时方法

大量采用GPS授时的网络存在安全隐患,而采用其它授时方法则难以在现有设备增加外部时钟接口.介绍了基于GPS射频信号模拟的外部授时方法,对原有设备无需作任何改动,从外部授时模块中获得外部同步的1 pps(pulses per second)和时间信息,仿真产生固定点接收到GPS信号的导航电文和观测数据,并将GPS导航电文的时间信息实时修改;GPS射频信号基于仿真数据产生,使设备内嵌的GPS接收机正常定位授时,恢复出外部同步的1 pps,从而实现外部授时.论文介绍了采用大规模FPGA的实现方法,实验结果验证了对于固定位置该授时方法的有效性.     

Monitoring Water Levels and Currents Using Reflected GPS Carrier Doppler Measurements and Coordinate Rotation Model

This paper describes the development and application of a highly integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that employs reflected GPS signals to measure the floodwater levels, sea levels, and soil moisture of riverbeds. Both right- and left-hand circular polarization antennas are employed to simultaneously obtain direct and reflected signals. The objective of this paper is to use the carrier-phase Doppler shifts reflectivity of L1 and L2 band reflected signals and direct signals to determine the floodwater and sea levels in riverbeds, as well as to distinguish wet soil from bare soil. In monitoring coastal tidal currents, water levels, and floodwater levels, the reflection heights of this system are accurate to within 29 $sim$ 31 cm. Furthermore, the currents at reflection points are estimated using differential carrier Doppler shifts and a coordinate rotation correction model, which provide velocity vectors for flows speed of approximately 5 $sim$ 265 cm/s.