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Ionospheric Interference With GPS Signals

Posted by kdawson on from the trusting-your-garmin dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "In recent years, we have become increasingly dependent on applications using the Global Positioning System, such as railway control, highway traffic management, emergency response, and commercial aviation. But the American Geophysical Union warns us that we can't always trust our GPS gadgets because 'electrical activity in the... ionosphere can tamper with signals from GPS satellites.' However, new research studies are under way and 'may lead to regional predictions of reduced GPS reliability and accuracy.'" Roland's blog has useful links and a summary of a free introduction, up at the AGU site, to a special edition of the journal Space Weather with seven articles (not free) regarding ionospheric effects on GPS.

8 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Time to declare war? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The electrons in the ionosphere must be terrorists!

  2. Oblig. by elguillelmo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Tinfoil hats ahoy!

    --
    Dawkins Revisited: A person is shit's way of making more shit -- Steve Barnett, anthropologist.
  3. 4th reply by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    that is also completely worthless

  4. Re:Good Grief! by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 4, Funny

    I for one welcome our new Roland Overlord. May he pour hit grits down Natalie Portman's shorts, I'll take a Beowulf cluster of that! I'll bet in Soviet Russia they can't even get Roland. But one thing is for sure, he does run Linux. And all these stories of his on Slashdot almost certainly result in Profit!

    --
    If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
  5. Re:Good Grief! by Nullav · · Score: 2, Funny

    Look on the bright side: Roland's blog-spam gets the editors to edit submissions somewhat.

    --
    I just read Slashdot for the articles.
  6. Re:Good Grief! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Showing bias towards him is going to hurt you long term, it's already losing you respect.
    Respect? Slashdot "Editors"? Been drinkin' tonight?
  7. second amendment by stripyd · · Score: 2, Funny
    And we "trust" the GPS which the US Government controls the big OFF switch to because....?

    Fortunately we have the right to bear sextants.

    Now which button on this Tom Tom gives me the GHA of the first point of aries?

  8. railway control? by fish+waffle · · Score: 2, Funny

    Isn't GPS a little overkill for railways? I suppose they may end up anywhere, but mostly they stay on the tracks, which makes them quite easy to find.