Receiver Antenna Phase Center Models and Their Impact on Geodetic Parameters

Evaluating the impact of receiver antenna phase centre corrections (PCCs) in geodetic positioning and timing applications in a general way is quite challenging, because several estimation concepts, implementation philosophies as well as different sets of PCCs exist and interact with each other and their contributions are not identifiable. In this paper, the authors present a methodology, based on investigations of Geiger (GPS-techniques applied to geodesy and surveying. Lecture notes in earth sciences, vol 19. Springer, New York, pp 210–222, 1988) and Santerre (Manuscr Geodaet 16:28–53, 1991), to classify PCCs and forecast their impact on all geodetic parameters, i.e. not only the position but also the receiver clock and troposphere parameter in a phase based precise point positioning (PPP) approach. In a first step, we introduce the mathematical model and generic PCC patterns. In the second step, simulation studies are carried out. Findings are evaluated by empirical studies using differences of PPP results to isolate the impact of different patterns. In parallel, the software impact is analysed since every software handles the observation modelling and parameter estimation differently, e.g., Kalman filter versus least squares approach. We show that all geodetic parameters are affected by PCC and that the impact on the parameters can be even amplified compared to the magnitude of the generic patterns.