Method and system for determining water vapor profile using GPS signals

摘要

A system and method for obtaining weather related information for a portion of the Earth's atmosphere between a predetermined surface portion of the Earth and an airborne object located over the predetermined surface portion, and operating at a known altitude, using position locating signals from a space vehicle. In one exemplary implementation the space vehicle transmits a first position locating signal. The first position locating signal is received by the airborne object directly from the space vehicle. A second position locating signal from the space vehicle is received by the airborne object after being reflected from the predetermined surface portion at a known angle. Phase information from the first and second position locating signals is used to determine a refractivity of the atmosphere between the predetermined surface portion and the airborne object. The refractivity is used to determine weather related information for the atmosphere.