Comparison of satellite orbit ephemerides for use in GPS meteorology

Abstract

This paper discusses GPS (Global Position System) meteorology. The research presented is based on a comparison of values of precipitable water vapour PWV, based on GPS measurements using final and predicted ephemerides of satellite orbits. We analysed recent year’s improvement in predicting ephemerides. We compared the data outputs from a radiosonde using GPS receiver measurements directly from the meteorological station from which the radiosondes were launched. The results indicate a high quality of the predicted ephemerides. This finding makes predicted ephemerides highly usable for near real-time estimations of PWV. To use PWV in meteorological forecast applications, this high speed of PWV values supply is necessary.