Introduction to GNSS Geodesy: Foundations of Precise Positioning and Geoinformatics

Introduction to GNSS Geodesy is a concise reference for beginners and experts in GNSS-based satellite geodesy. It covers all the important concepts in almost a third of the space of the other GNSS books. The author hopes that by starting off with a use case in Augmented Reality, the reader is inspired to learn, in Part II, the key elements of GNSS geodesy that makes accurate and precise geopositioning possible. For example, it is important to understand the geodetic reference systems and the associated GNSS data processing strategies that enable both accurate and high precision geopositioning. Chapter 2 gives an overview of GNSS constellations and signals, highlighting the important characteristics. Chapter 3 introduces reference systems in geodesy, which lays the framework for the rest of the book. It covers topics such as time systems, geodetic datums, coordinate systems, coordinate conversions and transformations, and International Terrestrial Reference Frame. Chapters 4 and 5 dig deep into mathematical formulation of GNSS parameter estimation and observation models. All the concepts are presented clearly, concisely and are easy to follow. Diagrams help to comprehend the topics. Chapter 6 describes an important topic of Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) networks and their role in geodesy and definition of reference frames. Various global and regional CORS networks are presented in this section. The chapter also covers GNSS data and the common formats such as RINEX and RTCM. Chapter 7 introduces the whole cycle of GNSS data processing, including preprocessing, ambiguity fixing, and solution reprocessing methods as commonly used in both epoch solutions and time series data. The book ends with appendices on orbit modelling, GNSS linear combinations, application examples, and an example linear model.