Site Suitability for the Installation of Additional Continuously Operating Reference Station

Abstract

The advent of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) in space technology has tremendously improved the methods of positioning and navigation. Countries are now adopting the continuous observation and measurements using a network of GNSS receivers called Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) as the standard. Hence, the study explore the CORS network in South West Nigeria and carry out site suitability analysis of the potential locations considered suitable for the installation of additional COR stations with a view to extending the spatial coverage of the existing stations in line with the International Terrestrial Reference Frame’s standard. This was done by Identifying and mapping existing COR stations in South West Nigeria; Identifying and mapping the criteria influencing suitability of COR stations location by using international standard criteria for CORS establishment from review of literatures; Analyzing, determining and mapping potential sites suitable for setting up COR stations in South West Nigeria. A cartographic model was designed to show a step by step procedure of performing the suitability analysis which includes: defining the criteria, standardizing the criteria (to a common scale), determining the weight of each criterion, and aggregating the weights of the criteria to generate a final output raster image (a suitability map). Analytic Hierarchy Process technique was used to determine the weight of each criterion according to their relative influence and Weighted Overlay technique was used to aggregate the weights of the criteria. The result of the analysis showed that about 63% of the study area was considered most suitable; 23% moderately suitable; 9% marginally suitable and about 5% was not suitable. Hence, the existing COR stations in South West Nigeria covering about 30% of the region can be improved on in terms of distribution and spatial coverage with the installation of additional COR stations in line with the ITRF’s standard. 

Keywords: GNSS CORS, GIS Based MCDA, AHP Technique, GIS Weighted Overlay