EPSRC Industrial CASE PhD Studentship: Towards Centimetre LevelReal-time Kinematic GNSS Single Point Precise Positioning, School ofCivil Engineering and Geosciences

A 3.5 year EPSRC Industrial CASE PhD studentship is available from September 2005, tocarry out research within the Geomatics Research Group under the supervision of Prof PhilipMoore and Dr Nigel Penna.

Applications are invited immediately for the studentship, whichwill remain open until filled (but not later than August 2006).

This studentship will involve research into real-time centimetre level stand-alone positioninganywhere any time, which is the ultimate goal when using Global Navigation SatelliteSystems (GNSS).

Up to now, however, cm level (kinematic) positioning has only beenattainable either when located within a few tens of kilometres of a reference station, or afterthe user has remained stationary for lengthy initialisation times, of around 20-30 minutes.The advent of the European Galileo satellite navigation system, the revitalisation of theRussian GLONASS system and modernisations (additional observation frequencies) in theUS GPS will provide a vast number of additional observations that can be used for improvedpositioning.

This project will assess the improvements to be gained in carrier phase basedsingle point GNSS positioning from using a future combined system.

Particularly, this willfocus on reducing the time needed to remain static before cm level kinematic positioning canbe achieved, and the impact (and best reduction) of sources of positional error, such asatmospheric retarding of the satellite signals.

The project will provide excellent futureemployment prospects or training for a research career.

The project involves collaboration between geomatics@newcastle and Subsea7(www.subsea7.com), a major international company that provides positioning services,particularly for the offshore market. The successful candidate will be based at NewcastleUniversity, and is likely to spend around 6 months spread over the project's duration atSubsea7's Aberdeen office (travel and living expenses provided).

Candidates should possess (or about to obtain) at least an upper second class honours degreein a relevant numerate discipline (geomatics/surveying, mathematics/physics, civilengineering, electrical engineering or computer science).

Training will be given in surveying,space geodesy and high level computing for candidates without prior knowledge in thesefields.

Formal applications should be made through the standard University applicationprocedure on http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/applyFor candidates satisfying UK residential requirements, the studentship covers full universitytuition fees and provides a maintenance grant at standard EPSRC rates - currently £12,000 peryear - plus an annual CASE stipend of around £3,000.

Applicants from other EU countriesmay be eligible for a fees-only award.

Further details about the Geomatics Research Group and the School of Civil Engineering andGeosciences may be obtained on http://www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk/research/resgeomatics.htm andhttp://www.ceg.ncl.ac.uk respectively.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made as soon as possible toDr Nigel Penna, (tel: +44 (0) 191 222 8747).

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