Development of Korean VTEC Polynomial Model Using GIM

Abstract

The models used for ionosphere error correction in positioning using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are representatively Klobuchar model and NeQuick model. Although these models can correct the ionosphere error in real time, the disadvantage is that the accuracy is only 50-60%. In this study, a method for polynomial modeling of Global Ionosphere Map (GIM) which provides Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) in grid type was studied. In consideration of Ionosphere Pierce Points (IPP) of satellites with a receivable elevation angle of 15 degrees or higher on the Korean Peninsula, the target area for model generation and provision was selected, and the VTEC at 88 GIM grid points was modeled as a polynomial. The developed VTEC polynomial model shows a data reduction rate of 72.7% compared to GIM regardless of the number of visible satellites, and a data reduction rate of more than 90% compared to the Slant Total Electron Content (STEC) polynomial model when there are more than 10 visible satellites. This VTEC polynomial model has a maximum absolute error of 2.4 Total Electron Content Unit (TECU) and a maximum relative error of 9.9% with the actual GIM. Therefore, it is expected that the amount of data can be drastically reduced by providing the predicted GIM or real-time grid type VTEC model as the parameters of the polynomial model.