SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

SoftwareX
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/softx

Original software publication

RINEXAV: GNSS global network selection open-source software based

on qualitative analysis of RINEX files
∗
Filip Gałdyn , Radosław Zajdel, Krzysztof Sośnica
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics, Wrocław, Poland

article info a b s t r a c t

Article history: The determination of global geodetic parameters using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
Received 7 December 2022 observations requires using a global, evenly distributed network of stations. The homogeneous
Received in revised form 14 March 2023 distribution of stations is crucial for deriving Earth rotation parameters, coordinates of Earth’s center
Accepted 14 March 2023
of mass, orbit determination, and the realization of the International Terrestrial Reference Systems.
It is necessary to select the most representative group of stations, providing GNSS observations of
Dataset link: https://cddis.nasa.gov/archive
/gnss/data/daily/, https://github.com/RINEX the best quality, i.e. taking into account the factors, such as the number of observations, measured
AV/Rinexav-py-modules/ signal-to-noise ratio, or signal multipath indicator. This paper provides a description of the open-
source software RINEXAV to select and optimize the GNSS station network based on the qualitative
Keywords: analysis of RINEX files. The provided software allows users to maximize the number of observations
IGS based on specified criteria, maintain the uniform distribution of stations, and automatically select the
GNSS most suitable stations from among those available. To accomplish this, the software uses multi-criteria
MGEX
decision-making and clustering methods. The paper provides the description, use and impact of the
Data mining
Geodesy
RINEXAV software in geosciences.
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Code metadata

Current code version v.1.0

Permanent link to code/repository used for this code version https://github.com/ElsevierSoftwareX/SOFTX-D-22-00412
Code Ocean compute capsule
Legal Code License MIT License, Copyright (c) 2022 RINEXAV
Code versioning system used git
Software code languages, tools, and services used Python 3
Compilation requirements, operating environments & dependencies Python Packages: Numpy, Pandas, Streamlit, sklearn
If available Link to developer documentation/manual
Support email for questions filip.galdyn@upwr.edu.pl

1. Motivation and significance
Currently, the International Global Navigation Satellite Sys-
tems (GNSS) Service (IGS) [1] has a well-developed global station
network that includes over 500 stations in total, from which
more than 360 allow tracking multi-GNSS signals; Multi-GNSS
Experiment (MGEX) [2]. There is also a large number of perma-
nent GNSS stations around the world operating within regional
and national networks [3]. The largest number of stations of
∗ Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: filip.galdyn@upwr.edu.pl (Filip Gałdyn),
radoslaw.zajdel@upwr.edu.pl (Radosław Zajdel), krzysztof.sosnica@upwr.edu.pl
(Krzysztof Sośnica).
global networks, e.g., those operated by the IGS, are located in
Europe and America, as opposed to the Africa, Asia, or Oceania
regions. GNSS observations play a crucial role in geosciences. De-
termination of global geodetic parameters, such as Earth rotation
parameters, coordinates of the Earth’s center of mass, orbit de-
termination, and realization of a terrestrial reference frame using
GNSS observations require the use of a global, evenly distributed
network of permanent GNSS stations [4]. The selection of a proper
network is a prerequisite for the representation of the Earth in the
form of a discrete global grid and has a profound impact on the
geophysical interpretation of information behind the temporal
changes of the estimated parameters.
The complexity of the calculation processes prevents the use
of all available GNSS stations for the calculation of global geodetic

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2023.101372
2352-7110/© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Filip Gałdyn, Radosław Zajdel and Krzysztof Sośnica
Fig. 1. A simplified diagram that shows the capabilities of the RINEXAV software, 1 (blue) - first version, 2 (red) - second.
parameters. These are, in particular, computation time and mem-
ory. Therefore, it is crucial to select the most representative group
of stations, which provide the GNSS observations of the highest
quality [5–8].
The joint use of multi-criteria decision-making algorithms and
clustering methods, e.g., k-means, can help make a quick and
quality-sensitive selection of stations. The article presents the
RINEXAV software, which is a GNSS permanent station selec-
tion software dedicated to users who need to find an optimal
network of GNSS sites from among those available for various
scientific purposes, but especially focusing on the support of
determining the global geodetic parameters. RINEXAV consists of
two main modules. The role of the first is to retrieve Receiver
Independent Exchange System (RINEX) files collected in the user
database [9] and create daily status files on the availability and
quality of RINEX files. This is possible using BKG NTrip Client
2.12.17 [10] and GFZRNX [11] programs. The second module
allows for analyzing the available network in the selected time
interval and making a decision based on the quality parameters
as acquired in the first module. The outcome of the first module
is a precondition for the initialization of the second module
operation.
Some authors proposed methods for the automatic selection
of stations based on the geometrical parameters aiming to im-
prove some GNSS-based global parameters. Zhang [12] used the
orbit dilution of precision (ODOP) of ground stations searching
for the geometrically best network of stations for the precise
orbit determination. Furthermore, the geometrical DOP (GDOP)
of stations with respect to the geocenter was used by Xue and
Yang [13] aiming to facilitate the determination of global geodetic
parameters. On the other hand, Yang et al. [14] developed a
method of global network selection considering both geometri-
cal and qualitative factors of stations based on the grid control
probabilities and random optimization algorithm. The automatic
algorithms of station selection were also proposed for the long-
term ionospheric anomaly monitoring based on the optimization
of thresholds for station quality monitoring [15,16].
Most frequently, information about the station selection algo-
rithm used in the specific case study is simply missing and prob-
ably performed manually based on the researcher’s experience.
In the case of IGS Analysis Centers (ACs), which deliver official
GNSS-based products, the station selection is often based on the
priority list agreed upon between the ACs, such as IGS Repro3
priority list [17] or EPN station classification document1 , consid-
ering aspects, such as co-location sites with other space-geodetic
techniques, long history of the time series of observations. For
the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) AC [18],
the global distribution, availability, and content of observation
files are also evaluated prior to the definitive station selection.
Maennel et al. [19] explain that for the IGS products provided by
1 http://www.epncb.oma.be/_productsservices/ReferenceFrame/Station_
Classification.php
2
SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372
GFZ, the station selection is based on the pre-selection and station
classification complemented with checks for formal correctness
and consistency of the RINEX files with the official site logs.
However, there is a lack of details on how this task is actually
performed.
This study provides the RINEXAV software, the first open-
source software for automatic multi-purpose station selection
based on the geometric and qualitative criteria adopted by the
user. Section 2 provides description of the architecture of RINEXAV
software and gives insight in the details of the station selection
methodology. Section 2.1 focuses on the process of downloading
data and creating status files based on the quality assessment
of the RINEX files. Section 2.2 provides the key features and
assumptions associated with the decision-making algorithm for
selecting a network of stations. The description of the graphical
user interface (GUI) and Python functions are demonstrated in
Sections 3.1 and 3.2. Finally, Section 3.3 shows an example of how
the algorithm works on a single cluster basis.
2. Software description
Every study related to the determination of global geode-
tic parameters, precise orbit determination, or the realization
of terrestrial reference systems based on GNSS measurements,
relies on the selected global network of stations that provides
raw observations. Of all the available, publicly available, and
documented GNSS-related tools, to the knowledge of the authors,
none offers a solution leading to the selection of such a network
automatically, based also on signal quality parameters. Due to
the demand, software has been implemented in the Python pro-
gramming language using a number of libraries (numpy, pandas,
scikit-learn). The software consists of two modules. The general
scheme of the modules is shown in Fig. 1. The first is responsible
for the quality assessment of RINEX files creating daily status
files. Due to the fact that the current studies related to the
determination of global geodetic parameters and the realization
of terrestrial reference systems are produced largely on the basis
of data from the network of IGS stations, two versions of this
module were made. The first one uses the ability to connect
via FTP server to the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System
(CDDIS) database. This allows the user to download all the data
from the IGS network at a time interval selected by the user and
if the station is receiving multi-GNSS signals. The second version
of the first module allows the user to analyze 30-second RINEX
files of their choice from any station network by placing them in a
dedicated folder \src\status_file_from_folder\data. If the user wants
to use one of the versions, a different tool must be launched. They
are marked in red and blue and indicated by numbers 1 and 2
respectively in Figs. 1 and 2. The second module is responsible
for deciding on the best possible network of stations in a given
time interval based on the status files from the first module.
This is done by maintaining the uniformity of distribution of the
network.
Filip Gałdyn, Radosław Zajdel and Krzysztof Sośnica
Fig. 2. The data flow scheme during status files creation, 1 (blue) - first version, 2 (red) - second version.
2.1. Quality assessment of RINEX files
Fig. 2 shows the data flow in the module that creates daily
status files. The entire module provides the ability to create daily
status files related to the availability, and quality of RINEX files.
The first version of the module allows direct downloading of
RINEX files from IGS network stations. For the user, it is possi-
ble to download them from the CDDIS. Then, due to Hatanaka
compression of the RINEX file [20], unpacking and conversion to
RINEX format are performed with the RNXCMP program in ver-
sion 4.1.0.2 The file in RINEX format in the next step is processed
in two programs, GFZRNX and BKG NTrip Client, from which re-
ports summarizing statistics are generated. The outputs are then
processed, aiming to extract information about the availability
of observations for each satellite and the quality parameters of
the observations at each available frequency. This information is
saved in comma-separated values (CSV) format, which is called
status file.
2.2. Decision-making algorithm for selecting an optimum network of
stations
The selection of an optimal network of stations depends on
the application, and one should consider different criteria. When
realizing the particular datum, the regional overabundance of
observations, as well as the asymmetry between hemispheres,
can disturb its realization [21–23]. Determination of global geode-
tic parameters, such as Earth rotation parameters or geocenter
2 https://terras.gsi.go.jp/ja/crx2rnx.html
3
SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372
motion, requires using a network of stations that adequately
represent the Earth’s shape. The inaccurate representation of the
Earth’s figure with the geodetic network may lead to so-called
‘network effects’ in the estimated parameters [5,24]. When con-
sidering the scale realization, phase center antenna calibrations
would be a key factor [25,26]. Other regional or local research
purposes may impose further requirements, e.g., multipath se-
lection criteria for sensing snow height and surface temperature
variations [27].
Multi-criteria decision-making is a complex process, and with
a large number of observations and conflicting criteria, it re-
quires advanced algorithms to support the process [28]. The
application of multi-criteria decision-making algorithms is broad
and can be used to solve any problem where a decision needs
to be made based on multiple factors [29]. Each of the multi-
criteria decision-making methods has its procedural approach
according to which rankings are carried out and selection alterna-
tives are determined. These methods have been applied to many
actual problems in recent years, e.g., business and marketing
management or supply chain management and logistics [30].
Spatial data clustering is a process of grouping a set of objects
into classes or clusters in such a way that objects within one
cluster are very similar to each other, but they are not similar
to objects in any other cluster [31]. Using spatial data clustering
algorithms and the coordinates of individual stations, it is pos-
sible to group stations into clusters that are close to each other
in terms of distance. The k-means algorithm [32] is a simple and
efficient algorithm for finding clusters in data. It is one of the most
popular methods for iterative descending clustering. It is designed
for quantitative variables, and the dissimilarity is calculated using
the square of the Euclidean distance. The k-means algorithm is
Filip Gałdyn, Radosław Zajdel and Krzysztof Sośnica
Fig. 3. The data flow scheme for data analysis and station selection.
characterized by calculations performed relative to the center of
the cluster. In the case of the hierarchical clustering algorithm,
it is based on the composition of a hierarchy in which clusters
at each level of the hierarchy are created by merging or splitting
clusters at the next lower level [33].
The created status files provide the dataset, which is analyzed
for the optimum selection of a global GNSS network. The example
files are located in the \src\make_decision\rv3_stats folder. The
RINEXAV software is designed to analyze files from any time
period. The user can also select frequencies at which the signals
are received. The combined observations with special properties
can be formed by the linear combination of multi-frequency
carrier-phase and pseudorange observations. The characteristics
of the combined observations are directly affected by the type
and number of combined frequencies [34]. Zajdel et al. [25], con-
sidered using different signals for forming ionosphere-free linear
combinations namely B1I/B3I and B1C/B2a for the realization
of the scale of terrestrial reference frame. Strasser et al. [35]
demonstrated that considering a network of stations that tracks
as many signals as possible is beneficial for the determination
of global geodetic parameters in the so-called raw processing
approach. Using a multi-frequency approach preserves the orig-
inal measurement accuracy and allows full exploitation of the
information contained in each individual observation type.
The selection of particular frequencies is of key interest to
potential software users. Once the time period and the frequen-
cies are selected, the files are processed. The average quality
parameters and availability of RINEX files at a given station at
the selected frequencies are calculated. The RINEX file availability
is calculated from the availability files as the ratio between the
number of available RINEX files to the number of specified days in
the analysis for each station. The user may have 30 values for each
quality parameter such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), multipath,
etc. if specifying 30 days of data on a given channel e.g. C2I. The
arithmetic mean of each quality parameter is then calculated and
4
SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372
a value is stored for a given channel (e.g. for C2I). The aggregation
of quality parameters for each frequency narrows the scope of the
analysis, but also allows the algorithm to be faster and simplify
the subsequent calculations. The frequency that has the highest
number of observations at the selected time is chosen for further
steps. The full process workflow is illustrated in Fig. 3.
The RINEXAV software is designed with the user’s choice of
other parameters as well. It is possible to choose a clustering and
multi-criteria decision method. Due to the fact that in each time
interval selected by the user the network of available stations
may change, but also due to the possibility of the user to select
any number of stations, the k-means [32] and the hierarchical
clustering method [33] were implemented for this purpose after
studying the operation of various methods. We excluded other
algorithms, such as DBSCAN [36] search for core objects, i.e. ob-
jects that have dense neighborhoods and operate automatically
without being able to specify the number of clusters. Currently,
the chosen algorithms have many scientific applications also in
the field of geoinformatics [37,38]. Once the time interval and the
number of stations have been selected, the clustering algorithm
creates, from all the available stations, the clusters (groups) that
are closest to each other in terms of spatial distance. The user
can choose between two available algorithms, k-means and hier-
archical clustering. The algorithm splits the whole set of stations
into groups, which are then used in the next step to perform
the decision-making process of the best station in each group.
A multi-criteria decision algorithm is then used; the choice of
which depends on the user (TOPSIS or COPRAS). For each group,
the algorithm ranks the stations from the best to the worst for
later selection. This process is carried out on the basis of the
data contained in the daily status files of the specified period.
The decision is made taking into account the signal quality pa-
rameters, which are: SNR, multipath, number of observations, and
number of gaps. All these parameters are calculated by the BNC
software, thus, we refer to the documentation to get more insight
Filip Gałdyn, Radosław Zajdel and Krzysztof Sośnica
Fig. 4. Exemplary selection of 40 stations (red) with observations in the period 01.01.2021–01.03.2021 on the GPS L1 with RINEX file availability above 90%, even
global distribution and the best quality of RINEX files. Each cluster from which the station was selected is marked using a different color. (For interpretation of the
references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)
into the algorithm for calculating the individual parameters [39].
In addition to all the parameters that are acquired at any given
time by the measurement made by the receiver located at the
station, external studies can also provide evidence of quality
and availability. For this purpose, we used the classification of
the global network of GNSS stations made by Dr. Paul Rebis-
chung [17]. The classification was carried out in preparation for
the IGS Repro3 initiative, a direct IGS contribution to International
Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) 2020 [40]. This classification
was based on an analysis of the full history of GNSS data collected
by the IGS global network from 1994 to early 2019. The station
were classified in subsequent priority level groups according to
their significance for the terrestrial reference frame realization.
Each priority level is described and specified in a document (IGS
Repro3 station priority list3 ). The user can specify the priorities
of the stations as one of the criteria of the decision-making
algorithm.
In addition, each parameter can be given weight by the soft-
ware user, which will influence the software decision-making. For
example, if the user wants to get a network of stations with as
many observations as possible, user needs to indicate a higher
weight for this parameter. RINEXAV allows choosing between two
decision-making methods: TOPSIS (Technique for Order Prefer-
ence by Similarity to Ideal Solution; [41]) and COPRAS (Complex
Proportional Assessment; [42]). They are based on calculating
the euclidean distance to the ideal solution and the least ideal
solution. Then, the value evaluated as the best choice must be
closest to the ideal solution and at the same time farthest from
the least ideal solution. The ideal solution is one that maximizes
the benefit criteria and minimizes the cost criteria, while the
least ideal solution maximizes the cost criteria and minimizes the
benefit criteria. Both methods are based on a decision matrix and
the weights entered into it. However, the methods differ in the
final calculation of the indicators on which the ranking is based.
In the case of TOPSIS, this is the overall preference score, and in
the case of COPRAS, the relative significance value. These methods
were chosen because of their frequent occurrence in research [43,
44], the possibility of ranking alternatives with them, and the
possibility of weighting parameters. The result of a sequence of
steps (Fig. 3) is a set of stations. Fig. 4 shows the result of such
a selection. The user query concerned 40 stations selected with
observations in the period 01.01.2021–01.03.2021 on the GPS L1
3 http://acc.igs.org/repro3/repro3.html
5
SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372
with RINEX file availability above 90% with k-means clustering
method and the TOPSIS decision algorithm.
The output of module 2 results in the selection of a network
that is characterized by global homogeneity and the best possible
signal quality in each group. Due to the algorithmic selection,
objectivity is also maintained when selecting the best of the
stations. This means that the selection was made according to
the facts, without any user bias, influence of opinion, or interest
in the subject of station quality. The algorithm also provides an
opportunity for the user to retrieve station names along with
average statistics. This is possible in the form of a table containing
statistics for the selected period both before and after selection.
3. Illustrative examples
The created selection algorithm is a fully self-sufficient tool
for performing analysis related to signal quality and observation
from a given network. The provided modules, in combination
with each other, can analyze the data and select the best stations
while maintaining their uniform distribution. The program makes
the selection according to the parameters set by the user on a
database placed in a folder, which ensures maximum simplicity
for the end user. The first module operates in two versions and
when being used with own user dataset of RINEX files, the user
must remember to complete the file with information about the
stations (X, Y, Z, longitude, latitude, height, priority_level). This
step must be accomplished before the second module can take
effect. The automatic version, which allows downloading data
directly from CDDIS, also requires entering the date or time range
for which the user wants to retrieve the data.
Module 2 can be used from the Python function console mode
and from the Streamlit GUI. Section 3 will describe these ca-
pabilities and show an example of station selection in a single
cluster.
3.1. Making decision using Python script version
To run the algorithm that decides which station to select for a
given time period, use the files from \src\make_decision and open
make_decision.py function. The function requires all status files
from the selected period in the rv3_stat folder. Before running
the script, the user needs to customize the variables defined at
the beginning of the make_decision.py function code. To allow
the user to configure the settings of the decision algorithm, the
Filip Gałdyn, Radosław Zajdel and Krzysztof Sośnica SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372

Fig. 5. Example configuration - (a) and (b); the resulted outcome - (c).

settings in the \src\make_decision\config.yml file must be com- Table 1

pleted. Parameters to be set include the time period, the systems Statistics of the parameters of selected stations in an exemplary cluster receiving
the BeiDou-3 B1 for the first 60 days of 2022.
from which frequencies are used, the signals used, the weights
Station Prior. No. obs. SNR Gaps Multipath Rank
of each parameter, the percentage availability of RINEX files, the
clustering method, the multi-criteria decision method, and the WROC00POL 5 50757 45.57 120 0.136 1
GRAZ00AUT 2 45054 42.46 61 0.556 2
number of stations after selection. WARN00DEU 5 53483 44.70 112 0.477 3
LEIJ00DEU 11 53282 44.80 57 0.436 4
3.2. Making decision using Streamlit GUI OBE400DEU 11 35909 42.51 51 0.387 5
GOP600CZE 11 32893 42.02 116 0.424 6
BOR100POL 2 24815 41.97 241 0.586 7
An open-source app using the Streamlit framework was cre-
BAUT00DEU 11 52512 44.63 191 0.459 8
ated in order to make using the software easier for the end users. POTS00DEU 2 50872 40.91 398 0.606 9
A user can run the GUI interface from the file \src\make_decision GOPE00CZE 11 42720 41.55 361 0.623 10
\streamlit_app.py. The interface can be triggered by running a
command streamlit run streamlit_app.py from the console. The
application is displayed in a default internet browser window
environment on the local host. The selection of parameters is predetermined parameters such as the level of importance of the
done through a user-friendly interface, and the results, in addition station, the number of observations, the signal-to-noise ratio, the
to interactive lists of stations, are displayed in the form of maps. number of gaps in the signals, and the multipath.
Fig. 5 shows the window of an example configuration and the In Fig. 6, the red circles mark the stations that have been
ranked the best among all the competitors and are the first
resulting outcome. The whole software is run using localhost and
choice for the user in terms of quality. This selection is made
a web browser. The sections labeled a and b are the example
using the TOPSIS method, assuming the identity of the weight
configuration as proposed through the config.yml file. The part
of each parameter. The green polygon highlights the cluster, for
marked c is the result in the form of tables and maps of the
which the next analysis will be discussed in detail. It contains
station network.
10 stations, which cover the area of western Poland, Eastern
Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria. Within this group, the
3.3. Example of software use case
stations are considered individually based on the multi-criteria
analysis. Table 1 shows the average quality parameters occurring
According to the methodology, the decision is made based on
in the analyzed interval and the station priority level parameter.
the ranking of each cluster. This example focuses on a global
The last column records the ranking place that the algorithm
network of 232 stations that provided observations on the B1
assigns to a given station.
frequency in the BeiDou-3 system between 01.01-01.03.2022. The
Among the stations belonging to the marked cluster, three of
data for this particular frequency is received on channels I and X. them have a priority level of 2 (GRAZ00AUT, BOR100POL and
The average parameters were calculated for each channel. Even- POTS00DEU), and two are at a priority level of 5 (WROC00POL and
tually, the channel on which the most observations were received WARN00DEU). The next parameter is the number of observations,
was selected at each station. Furthermore, the algorithm filtered which is the highest for the mentioned stations WARN00DEU,
out those stations that had less than 90% availability of the RINEX POTS00DEU and WROC00POL. In the case of the SNR parameter,
file for the specified period. The next step was to perform cluster- the number of gaps and multipath, the best of the five stations
ing on stations that fulfilled the conditions for receiving signals with a deviant level of priority are WROC00POL, GRAZ00AUT,
on B1 of the BeiDou-3 system. We chose the k-means method and WARN00DEU. These stations are also the best ranked in the
as the clustering method for further consideration. This choice is ranking created automatically by the algorithm. A major influence
only for the purpose of presenting an example solution. It was on the final selection of the most suitable station was the low
decided to divide all stations into 100 clusters, resulting in the multipath parameter at station WROC00POL. It was more than 3
selection of the top 100 stations. The analysis concerns the global times lower than at the other stations.
network, however, we will focus on the region of Europe, just
to provide an illustrative example of the multi-criteria decision- 4. Impact
making algorithm in action. When focusing on this area, we can
see 16 clusters formed out of about 60 stations located in Europe. The proposed solution is a novel approach to solving a scien-
In each of the clusters, the algorithm created a ranking based on tific problem related to the selection of a global network, focusing
6
Filip Gałdyn, Radosław Zajdel and Krzysztof Sośnica
Fig. 6. Station selection in the region of Europe with classification and marking the best choices in terms of quality.
on the support of determining global geodetic parameters. In
many cases, e.g., climate studies or reference frame definition,
the long-term stability and reliability of stations would be crucial.
Determination of global geodetic parameters such as Earth’s ro-
tation parameters, the displacement of the Earth’s center of mass
(the origin of the terrestrial reference frame), geodynamic and
geophysical studies, and the realization of ITRF using GNSS obser-
vations requires the use of a global, evenly distributed network of
ground stations. The application of the proposed algorithms may
provide a basis for research into the impact of selecting a network
of permanent stations on the quality of global geodetic parame-
ters. The software can be connected to data centers such as the
Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) or support
the regional computing centers, e.g., those of EUREF Permanent
GNSS Network (EPN), or IGS by supplementing their GNSS data
analysis services.
5. Conclusions
The final product is based on programs for qualitative analysis
of RINEX files, the station clustering process, and multi-criteria
decision-making. It is fully written in Python programming lan-
guage and is linked from its level to other specialized programs
such as GFZRNX, BKG Ntrip Client, and CRX2RNX. In an automated
and objective manner, it can increase the probability of obtaining
better results when determining global geodetic parameters or
calculations related to the realization of terrestrial reference sys-
tems. The software code is open to the public and flexible for fur-
ther improvements, i.e, considering additional parameters, which
could support the decision-making and the selection algorithm.
Among many possibilities, including the discontinuity file at a
given station4 and the availability of antenna calibration5 , 6 , 7 for
4 https://itrf.ign.fr/ftp/pub/itrf/itrf2020/ITRF2020-soln-gnss.snx
5 http://acc.igs.org/repro3/repro3_antenna_info_060819.pdf
6 http://acc.igs.org/repro3/repro3_receiver_info_060819.pdf
7 http://ftp.aiub.unibe.ch/users/villiger/igsR3_2077.atx
7
SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372
different signals, the selection algorithm seems to be of the most
urgent need. The algorithm can be successfully implemented for
any analysis center that collects data from GNSS stations for anal-
yses of multi-GNSS data to acquire a well-distributed network of
observing stations.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
Data availability
The files used in this study can be downloaded from the
Crustal Dynamics Data Information System https://cddis.nasa.
gov/archive/gnss/data/daily/. The permanent link to the reposi-
tory with software is available at the link: https://github.com/
RINEXAV/Rinexav-py-modules/.
Acknowledgments
This work was realized in the frame of the grant funded by the
Polish National Science Centre (NCN) Grant UMO-2021/42/E/ST10/
00020. The APC is financed by Wrocław University of Environ-
mental and Life Sciences (UPWr). Part of the research was carried
out during the student internship funded by UPWr statutory
research funding. Eventually, we want to acknowledge IGS for
providing and distributing raw data from IGS stations.
References
[1] Johnston G, Riddell A, Hausler G. The international GNSS service. In:
Teunissen PJ, Montenbruck O, editors. Springer handbook of global nav-
igation satellite systems. Cham: Springer Handbooks, Springer; 2017, http:
//dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42928-1_33.
Filip Gałdyn, Radosław Zajdel and Krzysztof Sośnica
[2] Montenbruck O, Steigenberger P, Prange L, Deng Z, Zhao Q, Perosanz F,
et al. The multi-GNSS experiment (MGEX) of the international GNSS
service (IGS) - achievements, prospects and challenges. Adv Space Res
2017;59:1671–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2017.01.011.
[3] Bruyninx C, Legrand J, Fabian A, et al. GNSS metadata and data validation
in the EUREF Permanent Network. GPS Solut 2019;23:106. http://dx.doi.
org/10.1007/s10291-019-0880-9.
[4] Altamimi Z, Rebischung P, Metivier L, Collilieux X. ITRF2014: A new release
of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame modeling nonlinear station
motions. J Geophys Res: Solid Earth 2016;121:6109–31. http://dx.doi.org/
10.1002/2016JB013098.
[5] Zajdel R, Sośnica K, Dach R, Bury G, Prange L, Jäggi A. Network effects and
handling of the geocenter motion in multi-GNSS processing. J Geophys Res:
Solid Earth 2019;124:5970–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2019JB017443.
[6] Hadas T, Kazmierski K, Sośnica K. Performance of galileo-only dual-
frequency absolute positioning using the fully serviceable galileo constella-
tion. GPS Solut 2019;23:108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10291-019-0900-
9.
[7] Hadas T, Krypiak-Gregorczyk A, Hernández-Pajares M, Kaplon J,
Paziewski J, Wielgosz P, et al. Impact and implementation of higher-order
ionospheric effects on precise GNSS applications. J Geophys Res: Solid
Earth 2017;122:9420–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014750.
[8] Hadas T, Hobiger T. Benefits of using galileo for real-time GNSS meteo-
rology. IEEE Geosci Remote Sens Lett 2021;18(10):1756–60. http://dx.doi.
org/10.1109/LGRS.2020.3007138.
[9] Romero I, editor. RINEX the receiver independent exchange format version
4.00. 2021, https://files.igs.org/pub/data/format/rinex_4.00.pdf.
[10] Weber Georg, Mervart Leoš, Stürze Andrea, Rülke Axel, Stöcker Dirk. BKG
ntrip client (BNC) version 2.12.18. 2016, https://igs.bkg.bund.de/ntrip/bnc.
[11] Nischan T. GFZRNX - RINEX GNSS data conversion and manipula-
tion toolbox. 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.1.1.2016.002, GFZ Data
Services.
[12] Zhang L, Dang Y, Cheng Y, Xue S, Gu G, Han D. Analysis and opti-
mization of BDS GEO/IGSO/MEO ground monitoring stations configuration
for determining GNSS orbit. Acta Geod Cartogr Sin 2016;45(S2):82. http:
//dx.doi.org/10.11947/j.AGCS.2016.F029.
[13] Shuqiang X, Yuanxi Y. Nested cones for single-point-positioning configu-
ration with minimal GDOP. 39, (11):2014, p. 1369–74, WHDXXBXXKXB.
http://ch.whu.edu.cn/en/article/id/3126.
[14] Yang X, Wang Q, Xue S. Random optimization algorithm on GNSS moni-
toring stations selection for ultra-rapid orbit determination and real-time
satellite clock offset estimation. Math Probl Eng 2019;(2019). http://dx.doi.
org/10.1155/2019/7579185.
[15] Lee J, Kim M. Optimized GNSS station selection to support long-term
monitoring of ionospheric anomalies for aircraft landing systems. IEEE
Trans Aerosp Electron Syst 2017;53(1):236–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/
TAES.2017.2650038.
[16] Wang S, Huang S, Fang H. Ground GNSS station selection to generate
the global ionosphere maps using the information content. Space Weather
2022;20(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2020SW002675.
[17] Villiger Arturo. Upcoming switch to IGS20/igs20.atx and repro3 standards.
2022, IGS Mail No. 8238, 26 Jul 2022. https://lists.igs.org/pipermail/igsmail/
2022/008234.html.
[18] Dach R, Selmke I, Villiger A, Arnold D, Prange L, Schaer S, et al. Review
of recent GNSS modelling improvements based on CODEs Repro3 contri-
bution. Adv Space Res 2021;68(3):1263–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.
2021.04.046.
[19] Männel B, Brandt A, Bradke M, Sakic P, Brack A, Nischan T. Status of
IGS reprocessing activities at GFZ. In: Freymueller JT, Sánchez L, editors.
Beyond 100: the next century in geodesy. Cham: Springer International
Publishing; 2020, p. 37–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/1345_2020_98.
[20] Hatanaka Y. A compression format and tools for GNSS observation data.
Bull Geogr Surv Inst 2008;55. https://www.gsi.go.jp/common/000045517.
pdf.
[21] Blewitt G. Terrestrial reference frame requirements for studies of geody-
namics and climate change. In: van Dam T, editor. International association
of geodesy symposia, vol. 146. Cham: Springer; 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.
1007/1345_2015_142.
[22] Couhert Alexandre, Mercier Flavien, Moyard John, Biancale Richard. Sys-
tematic error mitigation in DORIS-derived geocenter motion. J Geophys
Res: Solid Earth 2018;123(11):10,110–42,161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/
2018JB015453.
[23] Zajdel R, Sośnica K, Drozdzewski M, et al. Impact of network constraining
on the terrestrial reference frame realization based on SLR observations to
LAGEOS. J Geod 2019;93:2293–313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00190-019-
01307-0.
SoftwareX 22 (2023) 101372
[24] Collilieux X, Altamimi Z. Impact of the network effect on the origin and
scale: case study of satellite laser ranging. In: Sideris MG, editor. Observing
our changing earth. International association of geodesy symposia, vol.
133. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer; 2009, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-
540-85426-5_4.
[25] Zajdel R, Steigenberger P, Montenbruck O. On the potential contribution
of BeiDou-3 to the realization of the terrestrial reference frame scale. GPS
Solut 2022;26(4):1–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10291-022-01298-0.
[26] Villiger A, Dach R, Schaer S, Prange L, Zimmermann F, Kuhlmann H,
et al. GNSS scale determination using calibrated receiver and Galileo
satellite antenna patterns. J Geod 2020;94(9):1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.
1007/s00190-020-01417-0.
[27] Jin S, Najibi N. Sensing snow height and surface temperature variations in
Greenland from GPS reflected signals. Adv Space Res 2014;53(11):1623–33.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2014.03.005.
[28] Khosravi K, Shahabi H, Pham BT, Adamowski JF, Shirzadi A, Pradhan B, et
al. A comparative assessment of flood susceptibility modeling using Multi-
Criteria Decision-Making Analysis and Machine Learning Methods. J Hydrol
2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.03.073.
[29] Ishizaka A, Nemery P. Multi-criteria decision analysis: methods and
software. 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118644898.
[30] Behzadian M, Otaghsara S, Yazdani M, Ignatius J. A state-of the-art survey
of TOPSIS applications. Expert Syst Appl 2012;39:13051–69. http://dx.doi.
org/10.1016/j.eswa.2012.05.056.
[31] Han J, Kamber M, Tung A. Spatial clustering methods in data mining: a
survey. Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery - DATAMINE. 2001, https:
//www.comp.nus.edu.sg/atung/publication/gkdbk01.pdf.
[32] MacQueen J, et al. Some methods for classification and analysis of multi-
variate observations. In: Proceedings of the fifth berkeley symposium on
mathematical statistics and probability. 1967, p. 281–97.
[33] Hastie T, Tibshirani R, Friedman J. Unsupervised learning. In: The elements
of statistical learning. Springer series in statistics, New York, NY: Springer;
2009, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-84858-7_14.
[34] Guo Z, Yu X, Hu C, Jiang C, Zhu M. Research on linear combination
models of BDS multi-frequency observations and their characteristics.
Sustainability 2022;14(14):8644. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14148644.
[35] Strasser S, Mayer-Gürr T, Zehentner N. Processing of GNSS constellations
and ground station networks using the raw observation approach. J Geod
2019;93(7):1045–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00190-018-1223-2.
[36] Ester Martin, Kriegel Hans-Peter, Sander Jörg, Xu Xiaowei. A density-
based algorithm for discovering clusters in large spatial databases with
noise. In: Proceedings of the second international conference on knowledge
discovery and data mining. AAAI Press; 1996, p. 226–31.
[37] Gong J, Ma R, Li D, et al. GNSS multipath mitigation method based on
K-means classification in urban environment. J Indian Soc Remote Sens
2022;50:805–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12524-022-01494-y.
[38] Takahashi A, Hashimoto M. Cluster analysis of dense GNSS velocity
field reveals characteristics associated with regional tectonics in New
Zealand. J Geophys Res: Solid Earth 2022;127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/
2022JB024793, e2022JB024793.
[39] BKG Ntrip Client (BNC) version 2.9 manual. http://acc.igs.org/misc/bnchelp.
pdf.
[40] Altamimi Z, Rebischung P, Collilieux X, Metivier L, Chanard K. ITRF2020:
main results and key performance indicators. 2022, http://dx.doi.org/10.
5194/egusphere-egu22-3958.
[41] Hwang C-L, Yoon K. Methods for multiple attribute decision making. In:
Multiple attribute decision making: methods and applications a state-of-
the-art survey. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 1981, p.
58–191. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48318-9_3.
[42] Razavi Hajiagha SH, Hashemi SS, Zavadskas EK. A complex proportional
assessment method for group decision making in an interval-valued in-
tuitionistic fuzzy environment. Technol Econ Dev Econ 2013;19(1):22–37.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2012.762953.
[43] Hezer S, Gelmez E, Özceylan E. Comparative analysis of TOPSIS, VIKOR and
COPRAS methods for the COVID-19 Regional Safety Assessment. J Infect
Public Health 2021;14(6):775–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2021.03.
003.
[44] Dhiman HS, Deb D. Fuzzy TOPSIS and fuzzy COPRAS based multi-criteria
decision making for hybrid wind farms. Energy 2020;202:117755. http:
//dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117755.