Navigation and ionosphere characterization using high-frequency signals: Models and solution concepts

Abstract

A navigation concept is being developed that relies on passive one-way ranging using pseudorange and beat carrier-phase measurements of high-frequency (HF) beacon signals that travel along non-line-of-sight paths via ionosphere refraction. This concept is being developed as an alternative to GNSS positioning services. If the set of signals that reaches a user receiver has sufficient geometric diversity, then the position of that receiver can be determined uniquely. Ionospheric modeling uncertainty causes errors in the deduced user position, but these errors are compensated by estimating corrections to a parametric model of the ionosphere as part of the navigation solution. A batch filter estimates the user position and corrections to an a priori ionosphere model. In simulated case studies involving significant errors in the a priori ionospheric parameters, the total positioning error is on the order of tens of meters in the horizontal plane and on the order of meters vertically.