An Adaptive SNR-Based Carrier Phase Multipath Mitigation Technique

An improved technique that mitigates specular multipath in Global Positioning System (GPS) differential carrier phase measurements is described. It adaptively estimates the spectral parameters (frequency, amplitude, phase offset) of multipath in the associated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and then constructs a profile of the multipath error in the carrier phase. A multipath correction is subsequently made by subtracting the profile from the actual phase measurement data. The technique is demonstrated on ground based experimental data, as well as flight data from the atmospheric research satellite CRISTA-SPAS. Ground experiments were conducted on static platforms in severe multipath environments. Multipath was deliberately introduced by either strategic placement of reflectors or electronic injection. This allowed for some control over the strength and frequency of the multipath. Averaging the results from 43 ground and 18 flight data sets, the differential carrier phase multipath was reduced by 47%. The complete results for both ground and flight tests are presented and are accompanied by discussions of individual cases.