Asymptotic stochastic analysis of a gravity model for inertial navigation systems

Inertial navigation systems require a precise knowledge of gravity to function properly. The inability of models to account for the small amplitude, short wavelength components of the gravity field leads to errors which are frequently viewed as random; these random errors can introduce a significant cumulative impact on system performance. A model is studied which, in the context of an appropriate scaling, consists of a gravity field having a known deteministic long scale behavior and an unknown random short scale behavior. The short wavelength random fluctuations are assumed to satisfy a strong mixing (asymptotic independence) property; no a priori stationary or isotropy assumptions are made. Results of Khas'minskii (Theory of Probability and Its Applications, Vol. XI, No. 2, 1966, pp 211-228) are extended and applied. In an appropriate asymptotic limit, the vehicle motion is approximated by the sum of a deterministic trajectory and a Gauss-Markov fluctuation process.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mathematics

Department dc:contributor.department

Mathematics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1982

Author dc:creator

• Torgrimson, Mark T.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Kohler, Werner

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Ball, Joseph A.
• Johnson, Lee W.
• Ling, C.B.
• Shaw, J.K.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/87169

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/87169