Investigation of GPS precise relative static positioning during periods of ice clouds and snowfall precipitation

A Global Positioning System (GPS) campaign that was conducted during moderate and heavy snow storms to determine the effects on the recovery of vector baseline components is discussed. Experimental results show a relatively large discrepancy in the baseline height component. Theoretical predictions reveal that even under the assumptions of extremely high ice cloud volume concentrations and for snowfall rates of up to 20 mm/h, the range error, if common at the two receiver sites, has negligible effects on the recovery of the baseline components. However, due to the spatial inhomogeneities of ice clouds and the localized nature of many snow storms, their differential effects may become important for precise relative GPS positioning