Interference from terrestrial sources and its impact on the GRAS GPS radio occultation receiver

Abstract

It is well known that terrestrial GPS/Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers are vulnerable and have suffered from intentional and unintentional interference sources. Unfortunately, space-based GPS/GNSS receivers are not exempt from radio frequency interference originating from the Earth. This paper explores data recorded by the GNSS Receiver for Atmospheric Sounding (GRAS) instrument onboard MetOp-A in September 2007, which is assumed to be representative of the typical environment for GPS/GNSS instrumentation in LEO orbit. Within these data it is possible to detect both pulsed interference and variations in the background noise. One plausible source of the pulsed interference is identified. We also show that neither the pulsed interference nor the variations in the background noise degrades the performance of the higher level products from GRAS. Key Points Interference is detected in GRAS radio occulation data and its impact determined Pulsed interference is detected and one plausible source is identified ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.