Corrections for atmospheric refractivity in satellite laser ranging

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric science
• Geophysics
• Electromagnetic wave propagation

Background:

• Accurate range correction is crucial for radar and radio wave applications.
• Standard calculations often assume a spherically symmetric atmospheric refractivity profile.
• Deviations from spherical symmetry introduce errors in range correction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the components of range correction derived from ground-level meteorological data.
• To investigate the impact of non-spherical atmospheric conditions on range correction accuracy.
• To derive an analytical expression for residual errors in range correction calculations.

Main Methods:

• Decomposition of range correction into a series of terms.
• Mathematical derivation of an analytic expression for residual errors.
• Analysis of surface meteorological data to quantify higher-order corrections and errors.

Main Results:

• The range correction can be expressed as a series, with the zeroth order term assuming spherical symmetry.
• Higher-order terms quantify deviations from spherical symmetry.
• Residual errors in range correction were analytically derived and their magnitudes estimated using surface data.

Conclusions:

• Ground-level meteorological data provide a basis for calculating accurate range corrections.
• Accounting for non-spherical atmospheric conditions is essential for minimizing range correction errors.
• The derived analytical expression and data analysis offer a method to assess and reduce residual errors.