Benefits of Chip Scale Atomic Clocks in GNSS Applications

authored by: T. Krawinkel, S. Schön
Abstract: Due to the limited frequency stability and poor accuracy of GNSS receiver's internal quartz oscillators, a receiver clock error has to be estimated in addition to the coordinates. This leads to two major drawbacks especially in kinematic applications: (i) the up-coordinate is determined two to three times less precise than the horizontal coordinates, (ii) high correlations between the clock estimates and the up-coordinates. This situation can be improved distinctly when connecting an atomic clock to a GNSS receiver, and modeling its behavior in a physically meaningful way. This approach is called receiver clock modeling. Recent developments in miniaturizing atomic clocks resulted in so called chip scale atomic clocks, and open up the possibility of using a stable atomic clock in GNSS applications. We present a deterministic method of receiver clock modeling in a sequential least-squares adjustment for the application of an atomic clock in code-based GNSS navigation. The benefits of clock modeling in such a case are assessed as follows: decrease of the noise of the up-coordinates by up to 58%, and enhancement of internal and external reliability. Hence, a more robust position is obtained. Additionally, artificial partial satellite outages are generated to show our method's capability of computing position solutions with only three satellites in view. Finally, we investigate the benefits of an atomic clock in spoofing detection, and show preliminary results. Especially in the early stages of a spoofing attack, such a stable clock helps to identify the same and warn the user.
Organisation(s): Institute of Geodesy
Type: Conference contribution
Pages: 2867-2874
No. of pages: 8
Publication date: 2015
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Computer Science Applications, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Software
Electronic version(s): https://www.ion.org/sign-in.cfm (Access: Restricted)
: Details in the research portal "Research@Leibniz University"

BibTeX

@inproceedings{ded47537549842888eedc039d7d7c767,
title = "Benefits of Chip Scale Atomic Clocks in GNSS Applications",
abstract = "Due to the limited frequency stability and poor accuracy of GNSS receiver's internal quartz oscillators, a receiver clock error has to be estimated in addition to the coordinates. This leads to two major drawbacks especially in kinematic applications: (i) the up-coordinate is determined two to three times less precise than the horizontal coordinates, (ii) high correlations between the clock estimates and the up-coordinates. This situation can be improved distinctly when connecting an atomic clock to a GNSS receiver, and modeling its behavior in a physically meaningful way. This approach is called receiver clock modeling. Recent developments in miniaturizing atomic clocks resulted in so called chip scale atomic clocks, and open up the possibility of using a stable atomic clock in GNSS applications. We present a deterministic method of receiver clock modeling in a sequential least-squares adjustment for the application of an atomic clock in code-based GNSS navigation. The benefits of clock modeling in such a case are assessed as follows: decrease of the noise of the up-coordinates by up to 58%, and enhancement of internal and external reliability. Hence, a more robust position is obtained. Additionally, artificial partial satellite outages are generated to show our method's capability of computing position solutions with only three satellites in view. Finally, we investigate the benefits of an atomic clock in spoofing detection, and show preliminary results. Especially in the early stages of a spoofing attack, such a stable clock helps to identify the same and warn the user.",
author = "T. Krawinkel and S. Sch{\"o}n",
year = "2015",
language = "English",
pages = "2867--2874",
booktitle = "Proceedings of the 28th international technical meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation",
publisher = "Institute of Navigation",
note = "28th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, ION GNSS 2015 ; Conference date: 14-09-2015 Through 18-09-2015",
}