Combining GPS and GLONASS for time and frequency transfer Original Research Article

Geodetic time and frequency transfer (TFT) consists in a comprehensive modeling of code and carrier phase observations from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in order to determine the synchronization errors between two remote clocks connected to GNSS receivers. Using either common view (CV), or Precise Point Positioning (PPP), current GNSS time transfer uses only GPS measurements. This study combines GPS and GLONASS observations in geodetic TFT in order to determine the added value of the GLONASS data in the results. Using the software Atomium, we demonstrate on one hand that using both constellations improves the solution for both CV and PPP results when analysing short data batches. In that case, there are not enough GPS code data to calibrate the solution, and additional GLONASS code data allows us to retrieve a correct absolute value for the solution. On the other hand, the CV results of frequency transfer are not significantly affected by adding GLONASS data, while in PPP the combination with GLONASS modifies the frequency transfer results, and in particular the daily frequency offset, with maximum differences of 150 ps between the TFT solutions obtained with GPS-only or GPS + GLONASS.