Comparison of the frequency estimation of the DORIS/Jason2 oscillator thanks to the onboard DIODE and Time Transfer by Laser Link experiment

Abstract The main applications for DORIS are precise orbit determination, and precise Geodesy. Onboard Jason-2 for instance, the DORIS tracking component is the French contribution to the precise orbit determination capability, a key capability for altimetry product scientific result accuracy. T2L2 is a time transfer technique based on the propagation of light pulses for synchronization between two clocks. Hosting T2L2 on-board Jason-2 was to allow for very fine DORIS USO (Ultra-Stable Oscillator) frequency monitoring, and for this purpose T2L2 was connected to the DORIS USO. Thanks to the continuous tracking of T2L2/Jason-2 by the Laser Ranging network it is possible to monitor the USO for several days, weeks, and even much longer, and thus to also compare with the DIODE (the DORIS on-board orbit determination software) frequency bias estimates. The DORIS USO frequency biases estimate comparison between two independent systems, T2L2 and DIODE, can be of benefit to both, allowing the accuracies of both systems to be better understood, and for improvements to be made to both systems. Such comparison is the central topic of the present paper. T2L2 monitors the DORIS on-board USO frequency with an accuracy of much better than 10 −12 which is the specification for the Doppler instrumentation. The paper investigates the limits of the DORIS-DIODE frequency bias estimates using T2L2, showing that USO frequency compliance accuracy of 10 −12 has been reached.