An Analysis and Densification of Continuously Operating Reference Stations Cors in Nairobi and Its Environs: a Geospatial Information System Gis Approach
Abstract
Positioning and navigation has revolutionized from traditional surveying approaches, due to
the significant developments in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The
endorsement of Continuously Operational Reference Station (CORS) in Kenya has paved
way for the use of Real Time Kinematic (RTK) network in provision of geospatial
infrastructure for spatial data management. The spatial coverage of operational CORS within
the Country as well as the Areas of Interest seems inadequate based on International
Terrestrial Reference Frame standards.
Consequently, the study explored existing, operational CORS as well as determining
suitability of densifying them with the intent to expand their spatial coverage within Nairobi
County and its environs. The study primarily employed spatial data from various sources
including: Ministry of Lands; Ministry of Mining; Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and
Housing, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and Volunteered Geographic
Information, that was manipulated using a GIS approach that is suitability analysis.
Suitability analysis exploited Multi-criteria Evaluation (MCE) through defining the goal:
densification of tier three CORS; determining the base criteria: Accessibility, Security, Power
supply; Network density and analysis: Proximity analysis; and intersection; hence establish
optimum locations/sites for establishment of CORS. The proposed CORS were subjected to
another intersection in order to determine an optimum distance between the stations using
Triangulation matrices of various designs: Random; East-West and North-South
Triangulation Matrices, to ensure a positional accuracy of +/- 20mm is always achieved on its
various applications. Consequently, IGS standards of establishing CORS stations were met
through employing MCE and Triangulation Network Matrices to ensure a well-conditioned
network of triangles.
The approach resulted into thematic maps relaying areas with inadequate coverage, and
suitable areas for CORS stations within Area of Interest.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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