Researchers from FGI noticed unusual high power events in GPS signal on 13–17 April. These events were captured by the GNSS sensor stations in Finland. They were associated with the USA’s and its allies’ military operation in Syria.

This meant that the GPS L2 signal, used by the military, was stronger and hence more reliable in challenging environments like a city.

‘The increase in power is in fact a positive aspect, in this case, as it enhanced the performance and reliability especially of the high-accuracy dual-frequency military and indirectly civilian GPS-enabled receiver sensors’, says Octavian Andrei, senior researcher at the FGI.

Graphics by Octavian Andrei

The findings are based on the FinnRef, the national geodetic network. The network comprises of a number of next-generation, real-time station sensors capable of tracking all global satellite-based navigation systems.

‘With FinnRef, we can monitor the quality of any received satellite signals. This monitoring is crucial, since it has direct impact on the reliability and accuracy of positioning and timing ‘, says Hannu Koivula, head of the Reference Systems Research Group.

Nowadays, numerous national economic infrastructures rely on the GPS technology.

More information

Specialist Research Scientist, Lic.Sc. (Tech.) Hannu Koivula, +358 50 430 1639, firstname.lastname@nls.fi