Space-based radio echo sounding of the continental ice sheets can potentially provide full coverage with uniform sampling and data quality as well as detection of change in environmentally sensitive areas. This research addresses the feasibility of sounding the Antarctic ice sheets with a space-based P-band radar. The assessment makes use of an electromagnetic model of the ice sheets where most of the model parameters are estimated from data that have been acquired in Antarctica with an airborne P-band ice sounding radar.

Studies on high-sensitivity Rx have already focussed on weak-signal (e.g.

Indonesia is periodically affected by severe volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, which are geologically coupled to the convergence of the Australian tectonic plate beneath the Sunda Plate. SAR interferometry (InSAR) is a satellite technology based on radar sensors that can be used to support the study and modelling of terrain movements such as tectonic motions associated with faults, and volcanic processes related to magma movement. The main advantages of InSAR is the synoptic view of wide areas, and the periodic surveying that guarantees long-term monitoring and time series analysis.

The Biomass satellite is a polarimetric P-band (435 MHz) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in a dawn-dusk low-Earth orbit. Its principal objective is to measure biomass content and biomass change in all of Earth’s forests. The mission launch is envisaged around 2024, for a duration of five years.

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The accuracy of tropospheric excess path length estimation in a GNSS receiver can be increased by using an estimate of current or short-term evolution of atmospheric conditions. This information can be provided by ground or space based sensors and numerical weather prediction systems (like ECMWF for a global scale or HIRLAM/MM5 for regional scale). The models and algorithms to process this type of information and convert it into a message for local augmentation systems need to be develped.

The accuracy of tropospheric excess path length estimation in a GNSS receiver can be increased by using an estimate of current or short-term evolution of atmospheric conditions. This information can be provided by ground or space based sensors and numerical weather prediction systems (like ECMWF for a global scale or HIRLAM/MM5 for regional scale). The models and algorithms to process this type of information and convert it into a message for local augmentation systems need to be develped.

Communication techniques can be introduced in the Navigation domain to improve the performances. Easyness of the generation/reception of the signal, reduction of the intrasystem interference, higher orthogonality of the spreading sequences, efficiency of the message encoding mechanism to achieve higher data rate or lower BER, robustness of the signal tracking, higher efficiency in the exploitation of the available bandwidth, robustness to hostile RF environment, jamming and anti spoofing capability etc. are areas for possible improvement.

Extensive measurements over solar maximum will be carried out during the MONITOR activity under the GNSS Evolutions Programme and other experiments from external organisations. They will be able to provide a better insight on several processes affecting GNSS performance and they will have a proper basis for improved modelling. Such activities does not focus on a deep analysis of specific effects and the actual modelling of effects currently not considerd on average models.