University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Chris D Alber

Fredrick S Solheim

Randolph H Ware

Christian Rocken

An atmospheric water vapor sensing system uses Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) to determine the refractivity and Slant-path Water Vapor Delay (SWD) between an Earth-based GPS receiver and a plurality of satellite-based GPS transmitters. The system provides improved precision in position calculation measurements by eliminating the refractivity effects of water vapor. No other system inputs are required apart from conventional GPS satellite signals and conventional satellite orbit data to implement the method. SWD arises from the refractivity in the integrated atmospheric water vapor in a column of atmosphere at an acute angular line-of-sight path between the Earth-based GPS receiver and any one of the plurality of satellite-based GPS transmitters. The system is especially useful in monitoring the Earth's crustal deformation.

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Eldora, CO, United States of America

Chris D Alber