Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) in Climate Change Research: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) are playing an increasingly important role in monitoring climate change, providing precise and continuous data on processes occurring in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere. Initially, GNSSs were used primarily for navigation and geodetic purposes, but the development of satellite signal-processing methods has significantly expanded their applications. This paper presents an overview of climate research with particular emphasis on GNSS-RO, PPP, CORS, GNSS-R, and GNSS-IR techniques. The paper discusses the possibilities for monitoring atmospheric water vapor content, sea-level changes, snow cover, glaciers, soil moisture, vegetation status, and crustal deformation associated with redistribution of the Earth’s mass induced by climate change. The analysis indicates that GNSS observations are currently an important data source for climate and environmental research, as well as in weather forecasting systems, environmental monitoring, and geodynamic analyses. Integration of GNSS data with other remote sensing techniques supports a more comprehensive assessment of changes occurring in the Earth’s climate system as well as supporting the development of methods for adaptation to ongoing climate change.