Accuracy of Doppler Determinations of Station Positions

Abstract

Locations of Doppler satellite observing stations have been revised to obtain a set which is more self-consistent and more consistent with the CIO pole. Residuals of satellite observations for 1970 have been analyzed using the new coordinates to determine mean and standard errors for five days of observations of latitude versus station, time of day, and elevation angle. The accuracy of the determination of latitude is about 4 meters at moderate and high elevation angles. But since more satellite passes occur at lower elevation angles, the accuracy of determination of a component of position based on five days of observation of one satellite is only about 2 meters.