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Angle Carrier Phase Altimetry with GNSS Reflected Signals: exploring beyond the PRETTY mission

Programme
Discovery
Programme Reference
ETD 2020-05-b
Contractor
IEEC Barcelona
Start Date
End Date
Status
Closed
Country
Spain
Angle Carrier Phase Altimetry with GNSS Reflected Signals: exploring beyond the PRETTY mission
Description

This activity is intended to investigate the Grazing Angle (GA) Carrier Phase Altimetry (CaPA) using signals transmitted by the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The CaPA technique requires that the electromagnetic signal reflects coherently rather than in a diffuse regime. The hypothesis is that GA geometries enhance the likelihood of coherence scattering. It was also hypothesized that the combination of signals at slightly different frequency bands could expand the coherence conditions (widelane techniques, WL). The CaPA is a precise technique, as it is only possible when the carrier phase can be tracked, that is, when the electromagnetic wave can be measured at a fraction of a cycle. At L-band, with cycles corresponding to ~20 cm length, this maps into a few cm delay precision. Nevertheless, the use of carrier phase delay measurements tends to be relative rather than absolute (delay variations).

Technology Domain
10 - Flight Dynamics and GNSS
6 - RF Subsystems, Payloads and Technologies
7 - Electromagnetic Technologies and Techniques
Competence Domain
5-Radiofrequency & Optical Systems and Products
Keywords
GNSS reflection
GNSS altimetry
Executive summary