Performance Evaluation of Near Real-time GNSS PPP Time Transfer with IGS Products

Abstract

The GNSS time transfer technology is the high precision time transfer method based on the navigation satellite system and has been widely applied in time and frequency. Benefiting from the development of GNSS time transfer technology and the expansion of user needs for real-time time service applications, real-time time transfer technology has become an important research direction. GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is one of the most commonly used methods of GNSS time transfer technology. With the development of the many facilities, the application of the real-time GNSS PPP has become wider and wider. In this paper, we demonstrate and evaluate the performance of the international GNSS service (IGS) products in the near real-time PPP time transfer technology. A set of the PPP solutions were computed from the observed data from the timekeeping laboratories, and three types of products provided by IGS, including Ultra-Rapid (IGU), Rapid (IGR), and Final (IGS final) orbit and clock offset products. IGS final and IGR products have extremely high accuracy and stability and are used as a reference for the time transfer with IGU product. The near real time clock offset and the comparison link performed with the IGU product can provide a time comparison service with an accuracy of 0. 5ns for near real time applications.