A new GNSS-acoustic positioning software implementing multiple positioning functions considering nadir total delays

Abstract Global navigation satellite system-acoustic (GNSS-A) positioning is an important geodetic observation technique for detecting seafloor crustal deformation. After the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake, GNSS-A observational networks were extended along various subduction zones, and observational systems have been improved, especially for sea surface platforms, such as the introduction of an unmanned vehicle, the Wave Glider. The aforementioned development of GNSS-A observations has provided a large amount of observational data. Furthermore, GNSS-A positioning methods were recently developed considering the lateral heterogeneity of the sound speed structure. Thus, it is important to develop a software that makes it easy for widespread use of the latest GNSS-A positioning methods. However, there is currently only one open-source GNSS-A positioning software, which may hinder the entry of various researchers into GNSS-A positioning analyses. Here, we developed a new GNSS-A positioning software, henceforth called “SeaGap” (Software of enhanced analyses for GNSS-acoustic positioning), that executes various positioning methods from the conventional kinematic positioning technique to the latest Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)-based static positioning technique. We introduce their methodology and demonstrate its application to actual observational data. The software newly added optional prior distributions to the unknown parameters expressing the heterogeneity of a sound speed structure into the MCMC-based static positioning method, and we also applied the new method to actual observational data. In addition to the positioning functions, the software contains various auxiliary functions, including drawing. The developed software is written using the “Julia” language and is distributed as an open-source software. Graphical Abstract