Did you know that the Sun has an impact on GPS positioning?
My name is Sarah Schultz Beeck and I am a PhD student at DTU Space, working with the effects of space weather on GPS navigation. The aim of my PhD project is to evaluate the impact of space weather on GPS signal and assess the possibilities of producing local warnings and impact maps for GPS users in the Arctic region.
Space weather is a term used for all effects of the solar wind and solar storms on humans and human technology. In the case of GPS, the Space Weather effects are occurring in the ionosphere.
The ionosphere is the upper layer of our atmosphere, which contains free electrons. All satellite signals that travel from space to Earth will encounter the ionosphere.
Space weather events can result in small scale variations in the electron density of the ionosphere, which affects the propagation of GPS signals through the ionosphere. This means that the GPS positioning solution can be impaired and in worst case non-existent. Therefore, space weather impact maps can help people assess when to rely on GPS positioning.
As a PhD student specializing in ionospheric effects on GPS signals, I can help to find the connection between solar effects on the ionosphere and the resulting impacts on GPS positioning. This involves an understanding of the interactions between the Earth and Solar magnetic fields, of the ionospheric processes and of GPS satellite signals. From this research we end up with an understanding of space weathers effect on satellite navigation and how to mitigate it. What we achieve is a higher navigation safety in the Arctic region.
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