Utilizing least squares variance component estimation to combine multi-GNSS clock offsets

The International GNSS Service (IGS) provides combined satellite and station clock products, which are generated from the individual clock solutions produced by the analysis centers (ACs). Combinations for GPS and GLONASS are currently available, but there is still a lack of combined products for the new constellations such as Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS. This study presents a combination framework based on least squares variance component estimation using the ACs’ aligned clock solutions. We present the various alignments required to harmonize the solutions from the ACs, namely the radial correction derived from the differences of the associated orbits, the alignment of the AC clocks to compensate for different reference clocks within each AC solution, and the inter-system bias (ISB) alignment to correct for different AC ISB definitions when multiple constellations are used. The combination scheme is tested with IGS MGEX and repro3 products. The RMS computed between the combined product and the aligned ACs’ solutions differ for each constellation, where the lowest values are obtained for Galileo and GPS with on average below 45 psec (13 mm) and reaching more than 150 psec (45 mm) for QZSS. The same behavior is repeated when the process is performed with the repro3 products. A clock and orbit combination validation is done using precise point positioning (PPP) that shows ionosphere-free phase residuals below 10 mm for all constellations, comparable with the AC solutions that are in the same level.