Validation of Reference Frame Consistency of GNSS Service Products

Abstract

In Global Navigation Sattelite System (GNSS) point positioning the coordinate reference frame of the positioning results is determined by the reference frame of the used GNSS service product. These products include broadcast ephemeris, precise orbits, clocks, biases, and reference station observations. Consistency in the reference frame is crucial for analyzing coordinate differences and velocities in earth science and geomatics applications. National agencies calculate coordinates for GNSS reference stations to ensure reference frame consistency within a country, however this approach is not suitable for providers covering multiple countries. This contribution will introduce two new approaches for reference frame validation of GNSS service products and their relation with the International Association of Geodesy’s Reference Frame Sub-Commission for Europe (EUREF) densification guidelines, including results of a first prototype assessing the consistency of a cross-border GNSS RTK service with the EUREF Permanent Network (EPN) reference frame ETRF2000 and consistency of a GNSS PPP service with the International GNSS Service reference frame IGb14.