Total Electron Content Estimation and Comparison Using Multi-GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO and BeiDou) Constellations

Abstract

From the past few years the number of applications has been increasing for Global Navigation Satellite System, which consists GPS of Americans, Russians GLONASS, GALILEO of Europeans and Chinese BeiDou. Apart from GNSS, the regional navigation systems; QZSS of Japanese and NavIC of Indians were also developed. One of the major applications of GNSS is to study the ionosphere propagation medium behaviour by estimating TEC, Scintillations and Faraday rotation of electromagnetic waves. The main objective of this research paper is to estimate and compare TEC by using signals of multiple GNSS constellations over the receiver located at GPCET, Kurnool (15.79 0 N, 78.07 0 E), India. For this an experimental setup was established with multi frequency GNSS receiver and TEC of ionosphere estimated using the data of a typical day October 07, 2020. By analysing the results the maximum TEC (190.52 TECu) found along the GALILEO E08 signal path which was received at an elevation angle of 27o. Further the results confirmed that the data of multiple constellations can be used to study the ionosphere medium.