Modeling High-Latitude Ionospheric Scintillations for Radio Occultation GPS Receiver Performance Analysis

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atmire.migration.oldid5403
dc.contributor.advisorSkone, Susan
dc.contributor.authorNajmafshar, Maryam
dc.contributor.committeememberGao, Yang
dc.contributor.committeememberO'Keefe, Kyle Patrick Gordon
dc.contributor.committeememberKnudsen, David J.
dc.contributor.committeememberDatta-Barua, Seebany
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-29T22:15:38Z
dc.date.available2017-03-29T22:15:38Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.date.submitted2017en
dc.description.abstractThe performance of a radio occultation GPS receiver carrier tracking loop, subjected to ionospheric scintillations, is studied in this thesis. A physics-based simulation of high-latitude ionospheric disturbances for radio occultation signals has been employed to generate a variety of test cases to assess receiver performance. This scintillation simulator is built on an existing tool and is novel in allowing simulation of high-latitude ionospheric perturbations on multiple frequencies for radio occultation signals. Further, an experimental simulation method is developed which extracts scintillation-induced perturbations directly from real observations and applies them to a nominal GPS signal. Simulation results are validated against scintillation perturbations extracted from real radio occultation signals collected during solar maximum. The simulation approach is found to closely represent the real effects of scintillation. Scintillated signals are analyzed for effectiveness of detrending methods and selection of cutoff frequency for filtering scintillation data and capturing scintillation information. It is determined through spectral analysis that a higher cutoff frequency is required for filtering high-latitude scintillation signals. Also, scintillation measurements are dependent on the method applied for detrending. According to the studies conducted in this thesis, receiver tracking performance depends on both scintillation levels and the receiver mode (tracking versus acquisition). The receiver can track strong scintillation signals provided sufficient time to acquire signals pre-scintillations. Signal acquisition and tracking during scintillations, however, is challenging and might fail for severe scintillation conditions. Also, it is found that the presence of amplitude scintillation alone does not cause significant carrier performance degradation unless it is severe enough to reduce signal power below tracking threshold level leading to loss of lock. Strong phase scintillations, on the other hand, result in noticeable tracking loop performance degradation and measurement errors.en_US
dc.identifier.citationNajmafshar, M. (2017). Modeling High-Latitude Ionospheric Scintillations for Radio Occultation GPS Receiver Performance Analysis (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26943en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/26943
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11023/3681
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectEngineering
dc.subjectEngineering--Electronics and Electrical
dc.subjectGeotechnology
dc.subject.otherScintillarion
dc.subject.otherRadio occultation
dc.subject.otherSimulation
dc.titleModeling High-Latitude Ionospheric Scintillations for Radio Occultation GPS Receiver Performance Analysis
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineGeomatics Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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