Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 5 |
| Journal | GPS solutions |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 13 Oct 2020 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2021 |
Abstract
Miniaturized atomic clocks with high frequency stability as local oscillators in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers promise to improve real-time kinematic applications. For a number of years, such oscillators are being investigated regarding their overall technical applicability, i.e., transportability, and performance in dynamic environments. The short-term frequency stability of these clocks is usually specified by the manufacturer, being valid for stationary applications. Since the performance of most oscillators is likely degraded in dynamic conditions, various oscillators are tested to find the limits of receiver clock modeling in dynamic cases and consequently derive adequate stochastic models to be used in navigation. We present the performance of three different oscillators (Microsemi MAC SA.35m, Spectratime LCR-900 and Stanford Research Systems SC10) for static and dynamic applications. For the static case, all three oscillators are characterized in terms of their frequency stability at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Germany's national metrology institute. The resulting Allan deviations agree well with the manufacturer's data. Furthermore, a flight experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the performance of the oscillators under dynamic conditions. Here, each oscillator is replacing the internal oscillator of a geodetic-grade GNSS receiver and the stability of the receiver clock biases is determined. The time and frequency offsets of the oscillators are characterized with regard to the flight dynamics recorded by a navigation-grade inertial measurement unit. The results of the experiment show that the frequency stability of each oscillator is degraded by about at least one order of magnitude compared to the static case. Also, the two quartz oscillators show a significant g-sensitivity resulting in frequency shifts of − 1.2 × 10−9 and + 1.5 × 10−9, respectively, while the rubidium clocks are less sensitive, thus enabling receiver clock modeling and strengthening of the navigation performance even in high dynamics.
Keywords
- Allan variance, Flight navigation, Frequency stability, GNSS, Miniaturized atomic clocks
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- General Earth and Planetary Sciences
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In: GPS solutions, Vol. 25, No. 1, 5, 01.01.2021.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Performance of miniaturized atomic clocks in static laboratory and dynamic flight environments
AU - Jain, Ankit
AU - Krawinkel, Thomas
AU - Schön, Steffen
AU - Bauch, Andreas
N1 - Funding Information: This work has been funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy following a resolution of the German Bundestag (Project Number: 50NA1705).
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - Miniaturized atomic clocks with high frequency stability as local oscillators in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers promise to improve real-time kinematic applications. For a number of years, such oscillators are being investigated regarding their overall technical applicability, i.e., transportability, and performance in dynamic environments. The short-term frequency stability of these clocks is usually specified by the manufacturer, being valid for stationary applications. Since the performance of most oscillators is likely degraded in dynamic conditions, various oscillators are tested to find the limits of receiver clock modeling in dynamic cases and consequently derive adequate stochastic models to be used in navigation. We present the performance of three different oscillators (Microsemi MAC SA.35m, Spectratime LCR-900 and Stanford Research Systems SC10) for static and dynamic applications. For the static case, all three oscillators are characterized in terms of their frequency stability at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Germany's national metrology institute. The resulting Allan deviations agree well with the manufacturer's data. Furthermore, a flight experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the performance of the oscillators under dynamic conditions. Here, each oscillator is replacing the internal oscillator of a geodetic-grade GNSS receiver and the stability of the receiver clock biases is determined. The time and frequency offsets of the oscillators are characterized with regard to the flight dynamics recorded by a navigation-grade inertial measurement unit. The results of the experiment show that the frequency stability of each oscillator is degraded by about at least one order of magnitude compared to the static case. Also, the two quartz oscillators show a significant g-sensitivity resulting in frequency shifts of − 1.2 × 10−9 and + 1.5 × 10−9, respectively, while the rubidium clocks are less sensitive, thus enabling receiver clock modeling and strengthening of the navigation performance even in high dynamics.
AB - Miniaturized atomic clocks with high frequency stability as local oscillators in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers promise to improve real-time kinematic applications. For a number of years, such oscillators are being investigated regarding their overall technical applicability, i.e., transportability, and performance in dynamic environments. The short-term frequency stability of these clocks is usually specified by the manufacturer, being valid for stationary applications. Since the performance of most oscillators is likely degraded in dynamic conditions, various oscillators are tested to find the limits of receiver clock modeling in dynamic cases and consequently derive adequate stochastic models to be used in navigation. We present the performance of three different oscillators (Microsemi MAC SA.35m, Spectratime LCR-900 and Stanford Research Systems SC10) for static and dynamic applications. For the static case, all three oscillators are characterized in terms of their frequency stability at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Germany's national metrology institute. The resulting Allan deviations agree well with the manufacturer's data. Furthermore, a flight experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the performance of the oscillators under dynamic conditions. Here, each oscillator is replacing the internal oscillator of a geodetic-grade GNSS receiver and the stability of the receiver clock biases is determined. The time and frequency offsets of the oscillators are characterized with regard to the flight dynamics recorded by a navigation-grade inertial measurement unit. The results of the experiment show that the frequency stability of each oscillator is degraded by about at least one order of magnitude compared to the static case. Also, the two quartz oscillators show a significant g-sensitivity resulting in frequency shifts of − 1.2 × 10−9 and + 1.5 × 10−9, respectively, while the rubidium clocks are less sensitive, thus enabling receiver clock modeling and strengthening of the navigation performance even in high dynamics.
KW - Allan variance
KW - Flight navigation
KW - Frequency stability
KW - GNSS
KW - Miniaturized atomic clocks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092428806&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10291-020-01036-4
DO - 10.1007/s10291-020-01036-4
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85092428806
VL - 25
JO - GPS solutions
JF - GPS solutions
SN - 1080-5370
IS - 1
M1 - 5
ER -