Improving the GNSS-R Specular Reflection Point Positioning Accuracy Using the Gravity Field Normal Projection Reflection Reference Surface Combination Correction Method

Abstract

Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is of great significance for the extraction and research of precise information of sea surface topography. Improving measurement accuracy is necessary for realizing spaceborne GNSS-R sea surface altimetry application. The main error source of GNSS-R distance measurement is the error of the specular reflection point positioning, which directly affects the sea surface altimetry accuracy on the reference datum. There is an elevation error of several tens of meters between the reflection reference surface used by the existing specular reflection point geometric positioning methods and the sea surface elevation, which is importantly influenced by the earth’s gravity field. Therefore, the gravity field reflection reference surface correction is the key to improving the specular reflection point positioning accuracy. In this study, based on the correction of the GNSS-R reflection reference surface, research on improving the positioning accuracy of the specular reflection point is carried out. Firstly, in order to reduce the positioning error caused by the elevation difference between the reflection reference surface and the sea surface, the gravity field reflection reference surface correction method (GFRRSCM) which corrects the reflection reference surface from the WGS-84 ellipsoid to geoid is proposed, and the positioning accuracy is improved by 25.15 m. Secondly, the normal projection reflection reference surface correction method (NPRRSCM) is proposed to correct the specular reflection point determined by the GFRRSCM from the reflection reference plane of the radial to that of the normal. Additionally, in the process of solving the spatial geometric relationship of the reflection path, the approximate substitution error is reduced by directly solving the normal projection on the plane, and the positioning accuracy is further improved by 13.05 m towards the normal. Thirdly, based on the gravity field normal projection reflection reference surface combination correction method (GF-NPRRSCCM), the specular reflection point positioning accuracy is synthetically improved by 28.66 m.