The LONARS - Aided Doppler Solution - A New Method for Precise Positioning at Sea

摘要

LONARS is a precision position-fixing system based primarily on the use of LORAN-C Radio Navigation. This system is used to precisely position test platforms in a 2500 square mile ocean area off the Florida coast. To meet future stringent accuracy requirements, APL and DMA personnel undertook an at-sea calibration of LONARS during April 1980. The single pass Doppler solution using the Magnavox Geoceier and DMAHTC precise ephemeris was chosen as the calibration standard. The LONARS system was used to model ship's drift during each Doppler pass. Included in the paper is an analysis of significant error sources in the Doppler fix, the utility of shore-ship single pass translocation, and a summary of operational problems encountered during the at-sea calibration. The estimated accuracy of LONARS-Aided Doppler was found to be 10 meters one-sigma. (Author)