Method and apparatus for making airborne radar horizon measurements to measure atmospheric refractivity profiles
First Claim
1. A method for determining a refractivity profile of an atmosphere of the Earth, the method comprising:
- generating radar signals from a radar device located above the Earth'"'"'s surface toward the Earth'"'"'s surface;
measuring a time of flight and a reflected intensity of reflected radar signals received back at said radar device;
using the measured time of flight and said reflected intensity of said reflected radar signals received by said radar device to determine a distance to a radar horizon where the radar signals are tangent to the Earth'"'"'s surface; and
using the distance to the radar horizon to determine a refractivity profile of the atmosphere through which said radar signals and said reflected radar signals have travelled.
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Abstract
A method for determining a refractivity profile of an atmosphere of the Earth. The method may involve: generating radar signals from a radar device located above the Earth'"'"'s surface toward the Earth'"'"'s surface; measuring a time of flight and a reflected intensity of reflected radar signals received back at the radar device; using the measured time of flight and the reflected intensity of the reflected radar signals received by the radar device to determine a distance to a radar horizon where the radar signals are tangent to the Earth'"'"'s surface; and using the distance to the radar horizon to determine a refractivity profile of the atmosphere through which the radar signals and the reflected radar signals have travelled.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for determining a refractivity profile of an atmosphere of the Earth, the method comprising:
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generating radar signals from a radar device located above the Earth'"'"'s surface toward the Earth'"'"'s surface; measuring a time of flight and a reflected intensity of reflected radar signals received back at said radar device; using the measured time of flight and said reflected intensity of said reflected radar signals received by said radar device to determine a distance to a radar horizon where the radar signals are tangent to the Earth'"'"'s surface; and using the distance to the radar horizon to determine a refractivity profile of the atmosphere through which said radar signals and said reflected radar signals have travelled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining a refractivity profile of an atmosphere of the Earth, the method comprising:
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generating radar signals from a radar device located on an airborne mobile platform toward the Earth'"'"'s surface; receiving ones of said radar signals that are reflected back to said radar device; measuring a time of flight and a reflected intensity of said radar signals reflected back at said radar device over a plurality of range gates; using the measured time of flight and said reflected intensity of said radar signals received by said radar device, to determine an approximate distance to a radar horizon where the radar signals are tangent to the Earth'"'"'s surface; and assimilating the distance from the mobile platform to the radar horizon, and at least one additional measurement obtained without the use of said radar signals, to determine a refractivity profile of the atmosphere through which said radar signals have travelled. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for determining a refractivity profile of an atmosphere of the Earth, the system comprising:
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a radar device located at an elevated location providing a view of the Earth'"'"'s horizon, being adapted to emit radar signals toward the Earth'"'"'s surface; a processor adapted to analyze time of flight information for ones of said radar signals reflected back to, and received by, said radar device, and adapted to determine a time of flight of flight of said radar signals to a radar horizon, the processor further being adapted to use said time of flight and information relating to an intensity of said reflected ones of said radar signals to determine a refractivity profile for a portion of an atmosphere of said Earth that said radar signals have travelled through. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification