Applicability of NeQuick G ionospheric model for single-frequency GNSS users over India

Abstract

The major source of error in the positioning of GNSS is from the region of Ionosphere. The single-frequency GNSS receiver cannot eliminate the ionospheric error due to dispersive medium and frequency-dependent. The low-cost GNSS receivers are highly dependent on single-frequency approaches of Ionosphere region popularly known as Klobuchar, NeQuick G, and BDS2 methods to estimate the data of position, velocity and time. The regional satellite navigation system of India, known as Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) adopted ionospheric models based on single-frequency namely, Klobuchar and grid-based correction models. The Klobuchar modelos accuracy is less for predicting ionospheric delays in low latitude regions like India under Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) conditions. In this paper, the NeQuick G modelos applicability for NavIC users over the Indian region is investigated. NeQuick G modelos performance is validated with dense GPS TEC network data of 26 stations spread across India and IRI-2016 model, during 2014, 2015 and 2016. The predicted TEC results indicate that EIA structures are well captured by NeQuick G and IRI-2016 models. The results indicate that both NeQuick G and IRI-2016 models well predict season asymmetry and decrease of TEC intensity due to descending phase solar cycle activity. It is found that NeQuick G is one of the contenders of single frequency ionospheric models for GNSS/NavIC users in India.