A GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets and its installation method

Abstract

This invention discloses a GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets and its installation method, comprising a mounting base, a base plate, a lower column, an upper column, and a GNSS antenna base. Both the lower and upper columns are hollow cylinders with flanges at both ends. The lower column is vertically connected to the base via the flange structure. The lower end of the upper column is connected to the upper flange structure of the lower column. The GNSS antenna base includes a cover plate, a protective cover, an adjustment cover, and an antenna mounting bracket. The cover plate is fixedly connected to the upper flange of the upper column. The protective cover is bolted to the cover plate. A through hole is provided on the protective cover, through which the adjustment cover extends upwards. The antenna mounting bracket is fitted over the portion of the adjustment cover that extends through the through hole, and a GNSS antenna is installed at the end of the antenna mounting bracket. The GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets of this invention has a simple structure, can adapt to extreme low-temperature environments, greatly shortens installation time, and allows for height adjustment when necessary.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of satellite navigation, specifically to a GNSS observation pier for polar ice caps and its installation method. Background Technology

[0002] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observation technology is one of the core means of modern geospatial information acquisition and is widely used in fields such as high-precision positioning, crustal movement monitoring, geodetic benchmark maintenance, earthquake deformation, and glacier change monitoring.

[0003] The long-term, stable operation of continuously operating GNSS reference stations is crucial for ensuring the quality of observation data, and one of the core aspects is the structural stability and observation reliability of the GNSS observation pier. The rationality of the observation pier structure directly affects the phase center stability of the antenna, thereby affecting the accuracy of coordinate calculation and the consistency of long-term observation results.

[0004] Currently, typical GNSS observation pier types used in China include: concrete foundation observation piers, steel column piers in permafrost regions, and roof-type observation piers. However, these types of GNSS observation piers are generally difficult to use in the extreme cold environments of polar regions. Polar environments typically have the following characteristics: the ice sheet surface is covered with snow, resulting in low mechanical properties and difficulty in compaction; the lower part of the ice body is a thick layer of solid ice, lacking a supportive layer of gravel or soil to form a bond; the ice itself is in a slow-moving state, leading to a risk of micro-deformation of the foundation. Therefore, the concrete pile foundations, formwork erection, and reinforcement layout required in conventional observation pier construction cannot be implemented. Thus, there is a lack of existing technologies for a type of GNSS observation pier suitable for polar ice sheet environments. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention addresses the shortcomings of the existing technology mentioned above, namely the lack of a GNSS observation pier suitable for polar ice cap environments. It proposes a GNSS observation pier for polar ice caps and its installation method. By using a multi-segment connection structure to assemble a GNSS observation pier suitable for polar ice cap environments, the entire prefabrication process can be completed domestically and then transported to the polar environment for on-site assembly. Furthermore, the observation pier can be heightened in the future according to snow conditions. The accuracy of the antenna is ensured through multi-level leveling, forced centering, and integrated directional scale.

[0006] This invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] A GNSS observation pier for polar ice caps includes a mounting base plate, a base, a lower column, an upper column, and a GNSS antenna base. The mounting base plate is laid in a snow pit dug in the polar ice cap and frozen to the ground by watering.

[0008] The mounting base has pre-reserved leveling holes, and the base is bolted to the mounting base and leveled by bolts installed in the leveling holes.

[0009] Both the lower column and the upper column are hollow cylinders with flange structures at both ends, and the outer diameter of the upper column is smaller than that of the lower column.

[0010] The upper flange of the lower column is provided with a column leveling hole, and the lower column is vertically connected to the base through a flange structure.

[0011] The column leveling screw passes through the lower end of the upper column and abuts against the column leveling hole. The verticality of the upper column relative to the ground is adjusted by the column leveling screw. The upper flange of the upper column is provided with a cover plate leveling hole.

[0012] The GNSS antenna base includes a cover plate, a protective cover, an adjustment cover, and an antenna mounting bracket. The cover plate is disc-shaped and has a forced centering support at the center of the disc. The cover plate leveling screw passes through the cover plate and abuts against the cover plate leveling hole.

[0013] The adjustment cover has a stepped cylindrical structure and a connection hole at the end that is coaxial with the forced centering support column. It is connected to the forced centering support column through the connection hole.

[0014] The protective cover and the cover plate are fixedly connected by bolts. The protective cover has a through hole. The adjusting cover extends upward through the through hole. The antenna mounting bracket is fitted onto the part of the adjusting cover that extends through the through hole. A GNSS antenna is installed at the end of the antenna mounting bracket.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, it also includes a reserved heightening column, wherein the reserved heightening column is a hollow cylinder with flange structures at both the upper and lower ends, and the radial dimension of the reserved heightening column is the same as that of the upper column, and the upper flange structure of the reserved heightening column is the same as that of the upper column.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, a horizontal bubble gauge is provided on the cover plate. By adjusting the leveling screws of the cover plate and observing the horizontal bubble gauge, it can be confirmed whether the cover plate is adjusted to a horizontal state.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, the mounting base plate has a square overall structure, and leveling screw seats are provided at the four corners of the mounting base plate, through which the mounting base plate can be adjusted to be level.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, the bottom surface of the mounting base plate is designed with anti-slip protrusions, which can enhance the friction between the mounting base plate and the ground in the initial stage of watering and fixing the mounting base plate to the ground, and prevent the mounting base plate from sliding.

[0019] As a further improvement of the present invention, both the lower column and the upper column are provided with leveling bubbles to facilitate observation of the leveling status of the lower column and the upper column.

[0020] As a further improvement of the present invention, the base, the lower column, the upper column and the reserved height-increasing column are made of stainless steel.

[0021] The present invention also provides a method for installing a GNSS observation pier suitable for the aforementioned polar ice sheets, comprising the following steps:

[0022] S1: Site selection. Choose an unobstructed area away from electromagnetic interference at the target site, avoiding ice cracks and abnormal reflection areas to ensure the observation quality of the GNSS receiver.

[0023] S2: Excavate a snow pit. Use mechanical or manual methods to excavate a snow pit for setting the installation base plate. The bottom of the pit should be flat and the depth of the snow pit should be equal to the height of the lower column.

[0024] S3: Lay the installation base plate. The installation base plate is made of a whole piece of wood. Lay the installation base plate at the bottom of the snow pit, water it, and wait for it to freeze to form a preliminary hard foundation.

[0025] S4: Install the base and the lower column. Place the base on the mounting plate and level it using the bolts in the leveling holes of the plate. Install the lower column and the upper column vertically in sequence, and level them using the column leveling screws during the installation process.

[0026] S5: Install the GNSS antenna base and perform vertical and horizontal corrections using the cover plate leveling screws and the forced centering support.

[0027] S6: Backfilling and reinforcement: Backfill the snow pit, bury the lower column below the snow surface, and compact it layer by layer to ensure the overall stability of the structure;

[0028] S7: Lay out cables and antennas, connect the GNSS antenna, complete the receiver cable wiring, confirm that the antenna is aligned north, and mark the installation height;

[0029] S8: Recording and debugging, photographing the structural installation status, recording coordinates, antenna model and antenna height, and conducting the first receiver power-on test.

[0030] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S5, when the GNSS antenna base is installed, an adjustment device with a direction scale is used to point north, and the direction deviation does not exceed ±5°.

[0031] As a further improvement of the present invention, in steps S3 and S6, the water freezing operation uses a water mist spraying device that rapidly freezes at low temperatures to accelerate the freezing process and ensure the stability of the bottom structure.

[0032] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: it meets the design requirements of GNSS observation piers under polar ice cap conditions, can be rapidly formed and maintains stable strength in extremely cold environments, and completely avoids the problem of concrete being unworkable, achieving in-situ anchoring in icy and snowy environments. All components adopt a detachable, flange-connected stainless steel pipe structure, which is prefabricated domestically and transported to Antarctica, requiring only on-site assembly. Compared with existing integral cast-in-place or welded piers, it greatly shortens the installation time and adapts to the short-cycle operation restrictions in Antarctica. A reserved heightening column is designed between the upper column and the GNSS antenna base. In the event of an annual snow accumulation trend of >0.3m, only the installation or addition of the reserved heightening column is needed to maintain the antenna elevation, effectively solving the problem of existing piers being "buried and abandoned," and improving the life cycle of polar GNSS base stations. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of the first embodiment of the GNSS observation pier of the present invention for polar ice caps;

[0035] Figure 2 This is an overall structural diagram of the first embodiment of the GNSS observation pier of the present invention for polar ice caps;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting base plate of the GNSS observation pier for polar ice caps according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lower column structure of the GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the upper column structure of the GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets according to the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the GNSS antenna base of the GNSS observation pier used in polar ice caps according to the present invention;

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment cover structure of the GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets according to the present invention;

[0041] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the protective cover structure for the GNSS observation pier used in polar ice caps according to the present invention;

[0042] Figure 9 This is an overall structural diagram of the second embodiment of the GNSS observation pier for polar ice caps of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the base structure of the GNSS observation pier used in polar ice caps according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of various embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0046] First embodiment:

[0047] A GNSS observation pier for polar ice caps includes a mounting base plate 1, a base 2, a lower column 3, an upper column 4, and a GNSS antenna base 5. The mounting base plate 1 is laid in a snow pit dug in the polar ice cap and is fixed to the ground by watering.

[0048] The mounting base 1 has a reserved leveling hole 6. The base 2 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 1 through the leveling hole 6 and can be leveled by bolts installed in the leveling hole 6.

[0049] Both the lower column 3 and the upper column 4 are hollow cylinders with flange structures at both ends. The outer diameter of the upper column 4 is smaller than that of the lower column 3. In this embodiment, in order to better connect the upper column 4 and the lower column 3, the lower end of the lower column 3 adopts a conventional outward flange structure, while the upper end adopts an inward flange structure.

[0050] The upper flange of the lower column 3 is provided with a column leveling hole 7, and the lower column 3 and the base 2 are vertically connected through the flange structure.

[0051] The column leveling screw 18 passes through the lower end of the upper column 4 and connects to the column leveling hole 7. The verticality of the upper column 4 relative to the ground is adjusted by the column leveling screw 18. The upper flange of the upper column 4 is provided with a cover plate leveling hole 8. In this embodiment, the column leveling holes 7 are evenly arranged in three places around the upper flange of the lower column 3. After the lower flange of the upper column 4 and the upper flange of the lower column 3 are connected by conventional bolts, the verticality of the upper column 4 is adjusted by the three column leveling screws.

[0052] The GNSS antenna base 5 includes a cover plate 9, a protective cover 10, an adjustment cover 11, and an antenna mounting bracket 12. The cover plate 9 is disc-shaped, and the center of the disc has a forced centering support column 13. The cover plate leveling screws 19 pass through the cover plate 9 and are connected to the cover plate leveling holes 8. In this embodiment, the cover plate leveling holes 8 are evenly arranged in three places around the upper flange of the upper column 4. The cover plate 9 and the upper flange of the upper column 4 are connected by conventional bolts, and the cover plate 9 is leveled by the three cover plate leveling screws 19.

[0053] In this embodiment, the base plate leveling hole 6, the column leveling hole 7, and the cover plate leveling hole 8 are all blind holes. The thread length of the column leveling screw 18 is greater than the flange thickness of the upper column 4, the thread length of the cover plate leveling screw 19 is greater than the thickness of the cover plate 9, and the thread length of the bolt installed in the base plate leveling hole 6 is greater than the thickness of the base 2. When the column leveling screw 18 passes through the upper column flange and enters the bottom end of the column leveling hole 7, continuing to tighten the column leveling screw 18 will lift the upper column upward through the thread connected to the flange of the upper column to achieve leveling. The leveling principle of the cover plate leveling screw 19 and the bolt installed in the base plate leveling hole 6 is similar to that of the column leveling screw 18.

[0054] The adjustment cover 11 has a stepped cylindrical structure and a connection hole 14 at the end that is coaxial with the forced centering support 13. It is connected to the forced centering support 13 through the connection hole 14.

[0055] The protective cover 10 and the cover plate 9 are fixedly connected by bolts. The protective cover 10 is provided with a through hole 15. The adjusting cover 11 extends upward through the through hole 15. The antenna mounting bracket 12 is fitted on the part of the adjusting cover 11 that extends through the through hole 15. The GNSS antenna is installed at the end of the antenna mounting bracket 12.

[0056] A level bubble gauge is provided on the cover plate 9. By adjusting the bolts connecting the cover plate 9 to the leveling hole 8 and observing the level bubble gauge, it can be confirmed whether the cover plate 9 is adjusted to a horizontal state. In the embodiment using a three-point leveling structure, the level bubble gauge can be set on the three-point leveling structure or the adjusting cover 11.

[0057] In this embodiment, the mounting base plate 1 has an overall structure of a square wooden board, and leveling screw seats 17 are provided at the four corners of the mounting base plate. The mounting base plate 1 can be adjusted to be horizontal by adjusting the leveling screw seats 17.

[0058] The bottom surface of the mounting base plate 1 is designed with anti-slip raised dot structure (not shown in the attached figure), which can enhance the friction between the mounting base plate 1 and the ground in the initial stage of watering and fixing the mounting base plate 1 to the ground, and prevent the mounting base plate 1 from sliding.

[0059] In other embodiments, the mounting base plate may also be a stainless steel plate with pre-machined leveling screw seats.

[0060] Both the lower column 3 and the upper column 4 are equipped with leveling bubbles to facilitate observation of the leveling status of the lower column 3 and the upper column 4.

[0061] The base 2, lower column 3, upper column 4 and reserved heightening column 16 are made of stainless steel, so all components of the entire pier can be prefabricated in China in advance. On site, only hoisting, assembly and freezing are required, which meets the needs of rapid on-site construction under polar ice sheet conditions and adapts to extreme low temperature, strong wind and transportation restrictions.

[0062] The installation method of the GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0063] S1: Site selection. Choose an unobstructed area away from electromagnetic interference at the target site, avoiding ice cracks and abnormal reflection areas to ensure the observation quality of the GNSS receiver.

[0064] S2: Excavate a snow pit. Use mechanical or manual methods to excavate a snow pit that can be set up to install the base plate 1. The bottom of the pit is flat and the depth of the snow pit is equal to the height of the lower column.

[0065] S3: Lay and install base plate 1. Base plate 1 is made of a whole piece of wood. Lay base plate 1 at the bottom of the snow pit, water it, and wait for it to freeze to form a preliminary hard foundation.

[0066] S4: Install base 2 and lower column 3. Place base 2 on mounting base plate 1 and level it through bolts in leveling hole 6 of base plate. Install lower column 3 and upper column 4 vertically in sequence, and level them through column leveling hole 7 during installation.

[0067] S5: Install the GNSS antenna base 5, and perform vertical centering correction and horizontal leveling through the cover plate leveling hole 8 and the forced centering support 13;

[0068] S6: Backfilling and reinforcement: Backfill the snow pit, bury the lower column below the snow surface, and compact it layer by layer to ensure the overall stability of the structure;

[0069] S7: Lay out cables and antennas, connect the GNSS antenna, complete the receiver cable wiring, confirm that the antenna is aligned north, and mark the installation height;

[0070] S8: Recording and debugging, photographing the structural installation status, recording coordinates, antenna model and antenna height, and conducting the first receiver power-on test.

[0071] In step S5 of this embodiment, when the GNSS antenna base 5 is installed, an adjustment device with a direction scale, such as a compass, is used to point north, and the direction deviation does not exceed ±5°.

[0072] In steps S3 and S6 of this embodiment, the water freezing operation uses a water mist spraying device that rapidly freezes at low temperatures to accelerate the freezing process and ensure the stability of the bottom structure.

[0073] Second embodiment:

[0074] Based on the first embodiment, this embodiment also includes a reserved heightening column 16. The reserved heightening column is a hollow cylinder with flange structures at both the upper and lower ends. The radial dimension of the reserved heightening column 16 is the same as that of the upper column 4. The upper flange structure of the reserved heightening column 16 is the same as that of the upper column 4, and the lower flange structure is adapted to the upper flange structure of the upper column 4.

[0075] The reserved height-increasing column is used in polar regions where snow cover increases year-round. When snowfall occurs in polar regions, especially with an annual snow cover increase of >0.3m, and the snow thickens to bury the GNSS antenna, the lower end of the reserved height-increasing column 16 is vertically connected to the upper column 4, and the other end is connected to the GNSS antenna base 5 to increase the height of the GNSS antenna. As the snow cover continues to increase, if necessary, multiple reserved height-increasing columns 16 can be stacked to meet the height requirements of the GNSS antenna.

[0076] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for installing a GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets, characterized in that: The GNSS observation pier includes a mounting base plate, a base, a lower column, an upper column, and a GNSS antenna base. The mounting base plate is laid in a snow pit dug in the polar ice cap and frozen to the ground by watering. The mounting base plate has reserved leveling holes. The base is bolted to the mounting base plate and is leveled by bolts installed in the leveling holes of the base plate. Both the lower and upper columns are hollow cylinders with flanges at both ends, and the outer diameter of the upper column is smaller than that of the lower column. The upper flange of the lower column has a leveling hole, and the lower column is vertically connected to the base via the flange structure. A leveling screw passes through the lower end of the upper column and abuts against the leveling hole, allowing adjustment of the verticality of the upper column relative to the ground. The upper flange of the upper column has a cover plate leveling hole. The GNSS antenna base includes a cover plate, a protective cover, an adjustment cover, and an antenna mounting bracket. The cover plate is disc-shaped with a forced centering support at its center. The leveling screw of the cover plate passes through the cover plate and abuts against the leveling hole of the cover plate. The adjusting cover has a stepped cylindrical structure and a connecting hole at its end that is coaxial with the forced centering support. It is connected to the forced centering support through the connecting hole. The protective cover is fixedly connected to the cover plate by bolts. The protective cover has a through hole. The adjusting cover extends upward through the through hole. The antenna mounting bracket is fitted onto the part of the adjusting cover that extends through the through hole. A GNSS antenna is installed at the end of the antenna mounting bracket. The installation method of the GNSS observation pier for the polar ice sheet includes the following steps: S1: Site selection. Choose an unobstructed area away from electromagnetic interference at the target site, avoiding ice cracks and abnormal reflection areas to ensure the observation quality of the GNSS receiver. S2: Excavate a snow pit. Use mechanical or manual methods to excavate a snow pit for setting the installation base plate. The bottom of the pit should be flat and the depth of the snow pit should be equal to the height of the lower column. S3: Lay the installation base plate. The installation base plate is made of a whole piece of wood. Lay the installation base plate at the bottom of the snow pit, water it, and wait for it to freeze to form a preliminary hard foundation. S4: Install the base and the lower column. Place the base on the mounting plate and level it using the bolts in the leveling holes of the plate. Install the lower column and the upper column vertically in sequence, and level them using the column leveling screws during the installation process. S5: Install the GNSS antenna base and perform vertical and horizontal corrections using the cover plate leveling screws and the forced centering support. S6: Backfilling and reinforcement: Backfill the snow pit, bury the lower column below the snow surface, and compact it layer by layer to ensure the overall stability of the structure; S7: Lay out cables and antennas, connect the GNSS antenna, complete the receiver cable wiring, confirm that the antenna is aligned north, and mark the installation height; S8: Recording and debugging, photographing the structural installation status, recording coordinates, antenna model and antenna height, and conducting the first receiver power-on test.

2. The installation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a reserved heightening column, which is a hollow cylinder with flange structures at both ends. The radial dimension of the reserved heightening column is the same as that of the upper column, and the upper flange structure of the reserved heightening column is the same as that of the upper column.

3. The installation method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The cover plate is equipped with a level bubble gauge. By adjusting the leveling screws of the cover plate and observing the level bubble gauge, it can be confirmed whether the cover plate is adjusted to a level state.

4. The installation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting base plate has a square overall structure, and leveling screw seats are provided at the four corners of the mounting base plate. The mounting base plate can be adjusted to be level by means of the leveling screw seats.

5. The installation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the mounting base plate is designed with anti-slip raised dots, which can enhance the friction between the mounting base plate and the ground in the initial stage of watering and freezing the mounting base plate, thus preventing the mounting base plate from sliding.

6. The installation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the lower and upper columns are equipped with leveling bubbles to facilitate observation of their leveling status.

7. The installation method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base, the lower column, the upper column, and the reserved height-increasing column are made of stainless steel.

8. The installation method according to claim 7, characterized in that: In step S5, when installing the GNSS antenna base, an adjustment device with a directional scale is used to point north, and the directional deviation does not exceed ±5°.

9. The installation method of the GNSS observation pier for polar ice sheets according to claim 8, characterized in that: In steps S3 and S6, the water freezing operation uses a water mist spraying device that rapidly freezes at low temperatures to accelerate the freezing process and ensure the stability of the bottom structure.

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