The Global Positioning System (GPS) uses accurate, stable atomic clocks in satellites and on the ground to provide world-wide position and time determination. These clocks have gravitational and motional frequency shifts which are so large that, without carefully accounting for numerous relativistic effects, the system would not work. This paper discusses the conceptual basis, founded on special and general relativity, for navigation using GPS. Relativistic principles and effects which must be considered include the constancy of the speed of light, the equivalence principle, the Sagnac effect, time dilation, gravitational frequency shifts, and relativity of synchronization. Experimental tests of relativity obtained with a GPS receiver aboard the TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite will be discussed. Recently frequency jumps arising from satellite orbit adjustments have been identified as relativistic effects. These will be explained and some interesting applications of GPS will be discussed.

中文翻译：

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全球定位系统中的相对性。

全球定位系统（GPS）在卫星和地面上使用准确，稳定的原子钟，以提供全球范围的位置和时间确定。这些时钟具有很大的引力和运动频率偏移，以至于在不仔细考虑众多相对论效应的情况下，该系统将无法正常工作。本文讨论了基于特殊和广义相对论的GPS导航的概念基础。必须考虑的相对论原理和影响包括光速的恒定性，等效原理，萨格纳克效应，时间膨胀，引力频移和同步的相对性。将讨论使用TOPEX / POSEIDON卫星上的GPS接收器获得的相对性的实验测试。最近，卫星轨道调整引起的频率跳变已被确认为相对论效应。这些将被解释，并且将讨论GPS的一些有趣的应用。