GNSS Baseline Configuration Based on First Order Design

Abstract

The quality of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) networks are considerably influenced by the configuration of the observed baselines. Where, this study aims to find an optimal configuration for GNSS baselines in terms of the number and distribution of baselines to improve the quality criteria of the GNSS networks. First order design problem (FOD) was applied in this research to optimize GNSS network baselines configuration, and based on sequential adjustment method to solve its objective functions. FOD for optimum precision (FOD-p) was the proposed model which based on the design criteria of A-optimality and E-optimality. These design criteria were selected as objective functions of precision, which lead to a homogenous and anisotropic network, respectively using Matlab programming language (V. 2012a). Al Ghammas Township, Al-Qadisiya city, which consists of twenty-five stations was taken as a study area in this research. The results showed that there are 300 potential baselines for the GNSS network of the study area, which were reduced during the optimum configuration to about 70% of the total potential baselines by applying FOD-p, and there is high level of improvement in the objective functions of precision which reached to about 90% .