Monitor Ionospheric Monitoring Network

The observation and gathering of information about ionospheric effects on the accuracy and reliability of GNSS and GNSS augmentation systems

Data Read more

The European Ionospheric Network

The MONITOR project is a research project that studies the effects of the ionosphere on GNSS and GNSS augmentation systems. The project started in 2010 and is funded by the ESA's GNSS Evolutions Programme (EGEP).

The project has several goals:

• To build a network of data stations to collect data about the ionosphere and GNSS performance.
• To integrate data from other sources, such as the CNES SAGAIE network.
• To set up new scintillation monitoring stations and improve existing instrumentation in Northern Europe and Africa.
• To develop a flexible data access policy that protects the intellectual rights of data providers while also allowing data to be shared with the professional community.
• To analyze data and develop models to predict the effects of the ionosphere on GNSS performance.

The MONITOR project includes a centralized facility that collects and archives data and products, processes some of them to generate products or reports, and provides an interface for data provision with partners and third parties.

The data collected from Monitor stations is

1-minute ionospheric scintillation indices

RINEX files at 1 Hz

50 Hz raw data

Bitgrabber IF data

Products are categorized by various types

Space weather

solar and geomagnetic indices obtained from third parties.

Reporting

automatic and manual reports.

Station-based

re-computed 1-minute ionospheric scintillation indices, multipath and cycle slips, delay code biases and ionospheric truths.

Electron Content

Global Electron Content, Slant TEC, VTEC global maps, EGNOS VTEC maps, EGNOS accuracy and integrity.

Perturbations

AATR parameter for EGNOS and WAAS reference stations and for SAGAIE and a subset of IGS stations networks, Rate of TEC, Solar Flares and MSTID indices.

Ionospheric Recording Stations

5 Ionospheric Recording Stations

The stations are located in Andøya (Norway), Tromsø (Norway), Kigali (Rwanda), San Pedro (Côte d'Ivoire) and Abuja (Nigeria).

Stations generate GNSS data

The stations generate 50 Hz GNSS raw data and ionospheric parameters such as S4 and SigmaPhi.

3 stations have bitgrabber

Three stations have a bitgrabber to record the GNSS frequencies L1 and L5 triggered by S4 levels.

Raw data processed into ASCII files

The raw data is processed into ASCII files such as RINEX and SCINTEX.

Data processed again at CPF

The data is processed again at the CPF by the SCORE and FADES processors.

Data stored in folders

The data is stored in folders data/raw/gnss/{YYYY}/{DDD}/{typ}/{HH}/*, where {typ} is the type of data and {HH} is the hour of the day.

Explore Our Tools

The MoNEWIC project has set up a network of GNSS sensors in Europe and Africa to monitor the ionosphere and its effects on satellite navigation systems. The network also collects data on evil waveforms (EWF).

The Central Processing Facility of the network collects data from the sensors and processes it to generate products that can be used to analyze the ionosphere, EWF, and other GNSS-related information.

The following products are available via the Data button on the website:
• MoNEWIC UPC-IonSAT Ionospheric Processors (MUIIP): This software computes indices that measure the ionosphere's impact on GNSS signals.
• SCORE processor: This processor analyzes scintillation activity, which is a rapid variation in the intensity of a GNSS signal caused by its passage through the atmosphere.
• FADES processor: This processor also analyzes scintillation activity, but it focuses on the characteristics of the signal during a scintillation event.
• EWF processor: This processor generates metrics that can be used to characterize EWF.

AATR-RMS for GNSS receiver chu2 on day 087, 2023

Daily variation of AATR-RMS for GNSS receiver chu2, computed over 300-second intervals.

Global Ionospheric Storm index on day 087, 2023

Hourly global map of Ionospheric Storm index for 12:00 UTC on day 087, 2023.

Phase scintillation index

(phase RMS value) in radians showing the influence of ionosphere turbulence on the phase of the GPS transmitted signal as recorded in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) the 218 day of 2023.

Global ROTI distribution on day 087, 2023

Global map of ROTI values, averaged over 3 hours around 12:00 UTC on day 087, 2023.

Global latitudinal VTEC gradient on day 087, 2023

Global map of the latitudinal component of the VTEC gradient, computed every 15 minutes, for 12:00 UTC on day 087, 2023.

The FADES processor

FADES Duration table

LSTID pattern detector for Europe/West Asia on day 087, 2023

Latitudinal keogram of detrended multi-GNSS VTEC with dt=300s in the European/West Asian sector (longitudes from 0º to 60º) during day 87 of year 2023.

Intensity scintillation index

(normalized RMS value) showing the influence of ionosphere turbulence on the intensity of the GPS transmitted signal as recorded in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) the 218 day of 2023.

Cross correlation function over time

for signal E1C and satellite E11. Signal distortion metrics are derived from the CCF when the Galileo satellites are visible to the eMonitor EWF stations.

Common Questions

That are frequently asked by a wide range of people, including researchers, engineers, students, and the general public

What is the purpose of the MONITOR project?

The MONITOR project is a research project that studies the effects of the ionosphere on GNSS and GNSS augmentation systems. The project aims to improve the understanding of the ionosphere and its effects on GNSS performance, in order to develop better models and tools to predict and mitigate these effects.

What types of data are collected by the MONITOR project?

The MONITOR project collects a variety of data from its network of ionospheric recording stations, including:
• 1-minute ionospheric scintillation indices
• RINEX files at 1 Hz
• 50 Hz raw data
• Bitgrabber IF data
The project also integrates data from other sources, such as the CNES SAGAIE network and solar and geomagnetic indices.

How is the data collected by the MONITOR project used?

The data collected by the MONITOR project is used to:
• Analyze the ionosphere and its effects on GNSS performance
• Develop models to predict the effects of the ionosphere on GNSS performance
• Develop tools to mitigate the effects of the ionosphere on GNSS performance
• Share with the professional community to improve GNSS performance and applications

What are the benefits of the MONITOR project?

The MONITOR project benefits a wide range of stakeholders, including:
• GNSS users: The project helps to improve the performance and reliability of GNSS systems, which benefits a wide range of users, including the aviation, maritime, and transportation industries.
• GNSS system operators: The project provides GNSS system operators with better tools to monitor and predict the effects of the ionosphere on their systems.
• Researchers: The project provides researchers with access to a unique and valuable dataset of ionospheric and GNSS data.

What products are generated from the MONITOR project data?

The MONITOR project generates a variety of products from its data, including:
• Space weather products, such as solar and geomagnetic indices
• GNSS performance products, such as ionospheric scintillation indices and VTEC maps
• Tools to predict and mitigate the effects of the ionosphere on GNSS performance, such as the MUIIP software and the SCORE and FADES processors

How does the MONITOR project help to improve GNSS performance?

The MONITOR project improves GNSS performance by developing better models and tools to predict and mitigate the effects of the ionosphere. It also shares data and products with the professional community to improve GNSS performance and applications.

Partners of the monitor project

The industrial consortium responsible for the activity is composed of the following partners.