York University Redefine the possible.
space Prospective students Current students Faculty & staff Alumni Visitors York crest
rule
   
Photo of Sunil Bisnath
 
Office: 129 Petrie Science and
Engineering Building
Phone: 416.736.2100 x20556
Fax: 416.736.5817
Email: sbisnath@yorku.ca

Address: 4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON, Canada  M3J 1P3

Research interests

CV in brief

Current research projects

Graduate students

Selected recent publications

Teaching

Research opportunities
Sunil Bisnath, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering

Research interests

My research interests centre about the use of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs), most notably GPS, for a multitude of precise positioning and navigation applications. Specific application areas include crustal deformation monitoring, precise orbit determination, and precise positioning of offshore platforms. This research requires development of positioning algorithms, which include filters, functional models, stochastic models, and prediction models to mitigate physical affects. Recent algorithm research has focused on improving the robustness of precise point positioning, and extending the range of single-baseline, real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS.

CV in brief

Academic qualifications
  • Ph.D.: Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B., Canada.  2004.
  • M.Sc.: Programme in Geomatics, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada.  1995.
  • Hon. B.Sc.: Surveying Science Programme, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ont., Canada.  1993.


Recent positions held
  • Assistant Professor: Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ont., Canada.  August 2006 – present.
  • Geodesist: Space Geodesy Group, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Mass., USA.  July 2004 – July 2006.
  • Assistant research scientist: Hydrographic Science Research Center, Department of Marine Science, The University of Southern Mississippi, NASA Stennis Space Center, Miss., USA.  July 2002 – June 2004.


Professional associations
  • Professional Engineer (2007 – present): Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick
  • Adjunct Faculty (2005 – present): Department of Marine Science, The University of Southern Mississippi, NASA Stennis Space Center, Miss.
  • Officer (2004 – 2006): Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
  • Member (1996 – present): U.S. Institute of Navigation
  • Member (2004 – present): American Geophysical Union
  • Member (2006 – present): Canadian Institute of Geomatics


Current technical committee memberships

Current research projects

  • Precise Point Positioning (PPP) algorithm and application development
  • Multi-Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) performance software simulation
  • GNSS-based precise orbit determination (POD) algorithm and application development
  • Long baseline RTK utilising weather model-based atmospheric corrections

Graduate students

Current
  • Paul Collins (Ph.D.) - Topic: Precise Point Positioning
  • Alex Dolgansky (M.Sc.) - Topic: GNSS software simulator
  • Amandeep Mander (M.Sc.) - Topic: GNSS-based precise orbit determination

Former
  • David Dodd (Ph.D.): Utility of ionosphere and troposhere models for extending the range of high-accuracy GPS

Selected recent publications

Refereed publications

Pagiatakis, S., S. Bisnath, C. Armenakis, and J.-G. Wang (2009).  "The establishment of a geomatics engineering program and its challenges: The York University case."  Geomatica, in press.

Bisnath, S. and Y. Gao (2008).  "Current state of Precise Point Positioning and future prospects and limitations."  In International Association of Geodesy Symposia: "Observing our changing earth," (Ed.) M. Sideris, 133: 615-623.

Santos, M., R.B. Langley, R.F. Leandro, S. Pagiatakis, S. Bisnath, R. Santerre, M. Cocard, A. El-Rabbany, R. Landry, H. Dragert, P. Heroux, and P. Collins (2008).  "Next-generation algorithms for navigation, geodesy and earth sciences under modernized Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)."  In International Association of Geodesy Symposia" "Observing our changing earth," (Ed.) M. Sideris, 133: 817-824.

Wernicke, B.P., J.L. Davis, N.A. Niemi, P. Luffi, and S. Bisnath (2008).  "Active megadetachment beneath the Cordilleran orogen."  Journal of Geophysical Research, 113, B11409.

Bisnath, S. (2007).  "What is carrier phase wind-up?  What is its effect on GNSS performance / operation?"  Inside GNSS, 2(5): 32-35.

Beran, T., R.B. Langley, S.B. Bisnath and L. Serrano (2007).  “High-accuracy point positioning with low-cost GPS receivers.” Journal of Navigation, 54(1): 53-63.

Dodd, D. and S. Bisnath (2006).  “Analysis of the utility of NOAA-generated tropospheric
refraction corrections for the next generation Nationwide DGPS Service.”  The International
Hydrographic Review, 7(2): 20-32.

Davis, J.L., B.P. Wernicke, S. Bisnath, N.A. Niemi and P.  Elósegui (2006).  “Subcontinental-scale crustal velocity changes along the Pacific-North America transform plate boundary.”  Nature, 441(7097): 1131-1134.


Conference proceedings

Collins, J.P., F. Lahaye, P. Heroux, and S. Bisnath (2008).  "Precise Point Positioning with ambiguity resolution using the decoupled clock model."  Proceedings of the Institute of Navigation International Technical Meeting ION GNSS 2007, 16-19 September, Savannah, Georgia, The Institute of Navigation, pp. 1315-1322.

Dodd, D. and S. Bisnath (2007).  "Combining L1 L2 carrier differences with ionosphere model estiamtes for an improved ionosphere error corrector."  Proceedings of the Institute of Navigation International Technical Meeting ION GNSS 2007, 25-28 September, Fort Worth, Texas, The Institute of Navigation, pp. 2291-2301.

Dodd, D., S. Bisnath, S. Howden (2006).  "Implementation of ionosphere and troposphere models for high-precision GPS positioning of a buoy during hurricane Katrina."  Proceedings of the Institute of Navigation International Technical Meeting ION GNSS 2006, 26-29 September, Forth Worth Texas, The Institute of Navigation, pp. 2006-2016.

D. Dodd, Bisnath, S., A. Cleveland, and M. Parsons (2006).  “Analysis and evaluation of various ionospheric models for potential use in the NDGPS Service.”  Proceedings of The Institute of Navigation National Technical Meeting, 18-20 January, Monterey, California, The Institute of Navigation.

Teaching

Geodetic Concepts  SC/ENG 3110 4.00  /  SC/EATS 3610 4.00
Geodesy. Reference systems, frames and datums; time systems; the natural system of coordinates; terrestrial, celestial and orbital coordinate systems. Coordinate system transformations. Relative three dimensional positioning; the inertial frame of reference. Positions on the ellipsoid and mapping plane. Height systems. Three lecture hours and three hours of laboratory exercises per week. One term. Four credits. Prerequisites: SC/EATS 2610 2.00 or SC/ENG 2110 2.00; SC/EATS 2620 4.00 or SC/ENG 2120 4.00; AK/AS/SC/MATH 2015 3.00; AK/AS/SC/CSE 2501 1.00 (formerly COSC). Corequisite: SC/EATS 3620 4.00 or SC/ENG 3120 4.00.


Global Positioning Systems  SC/ENG 4110 3.00  /  SC/EATS 4610 3.00
Positioning by space vehicles. Coordinate systems and transformations. GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, Satellite Laser Ranging, Very Long Baseline Interferometry. Positioning of moving vehicles and platforms: marine, land, airborne and space vehicles. GPS/INS integration. Real time kinematic applications. Three lecture hours weekly and three hours of laboratory exercises every other week. One term. Three credits. Prerequisites: SC/EATS 3020 3.00; SC/EATS 3610 4.00 or SC/ENG 3110 4.00; SC/EATS 3620 4.00 or SC/ENG 3120 4.00; or permission of the course director.


Advanced Satellite Positioning  GS/ESS 5410 3.00  (Graduate course)
An overview of satellite positioning methods leads to GPS satellite orbits, signals, propagation, measurement errors, and observables. Topics include GPS models for various distances, integer ambiguity resolution, integration of GPS with GLONASS and INS. pre-/co-requisites background in satellite positioning, data modelling and estimation, time series and spectral analysis.

Research opportunities

I welcome qualified applicants for M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in the areas of research described above.  If you are a motivated, independent thinker with a solid background in GNSS, please e-mail Sunil Bisnath to discuss the possibilities.
 

Last updated: 24 April 2009