Positioning method using earth rotation and celestial body gravitation effect

Abstract

The invention provides a positioning method based on earth rotation and celestial body gravitation effect. Positioning of the latitude of the earth where the object is located is achieved through several measurement modes of Coriolis force caused by earth rotation. The measurement of the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon at different relative positions on an object is combined with the gravitational forces generated by the earth on the object to generate different resultant forces, and the longitude of the earth where the object is located is positioned by matching with an accurate clock.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technical field of the present invention is the earth longitude and latitude positioning system Background Art

[0002] Traditional positioning methods fall into three main categories: satellite positioning, gyroscope positioning, and geomagnetic positioning. Satellite positioning is achieved by receiving and interpreting satellite signals from the sky. This method is fast and accurate, but requires an environment capable of receiving satellite signals. This makes satellite positioning impractical in environments with severe electromagnetic shielding, such as underwater and underground. Gyroscopes are an autonomous positioning technology that utilizes the gyroscope's stable moment of inertia to sense direction independently of external signals. When combined with accelerometers and clocks, gyroscopes can capture an object's overall motion state, making them widely used in environments where satellite positioning is unavailable. However, a drawback of gyroscope positioning is that it requires recording the object's historical motion trajectory. Decoding this historical trajectory to determine the current position leads to significant cumulative errors over time. Geomagnetic positioning eliminates the external communication required by satellite positioning and avoids the inherent cumulative errors of gyroscopes. However, the geomagnetic field on which geomagnetic positioning relies is naturally unstable and affected by various factors, including the solar wind, underground mineral deposits, and the surrounding magnetic environment, resulting in low accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention proposes a new positioning method, which is based on new physical effects: the rotation of the earth and the gravitational effect of celestial bodies.

[0004] The Earth's surface and the space above and below it can be precisely expressed in terms of longitude, latitude, and altitude. Because the Earth rotates remarkably steadily, objects moving on and near the Earth's surface are subject to a steady geostrophic force, known as the Coriolis force. The Coriolis force F = 2m·v·ω·sinθ, where m is the mass of the moving object, v is its velocity, ω is the angular velocity of Earth's rotation, and θ is the angle between v and ω. For a fixed mass, the magnitude of the Coriolis force is related to both velocity and latitude. Therefore, for a fixed velocity, the magnitude of the Coriolis force is linearly related to the sine of latitude. This provides a method for determining latitude that is both autonomous and does not require a historical trajectory, offering unique advantages.

[0005] One way to measure Earth's latitude using the Coriolis force is to use the traditional Foucault pendulum. It's well known that the time it takes for a Foucault pendulum to swing one circle varies at different latitudes, from the poles to the equator, with a period ranging from 24 hours to infinity. By measuring the difference in the time it takes the pendulum to traverse a unit angle, the pendulum's latitude can be determined.

[0006] Using a Foucault pendulum in positioning instruments can result in high costs and space requirements. Other methods can be used to implement and measure the Coriolis force. For example, a fixed-mass, fixed-speed rotor experiences a Coriolis force perpendicular to the rotor at different latitudes, which manifests as torque. The magnitude of this torque depends entirely on Earth's latitude. This is another method of using the Coriolis force to achieve latitude positioning, potentially more convenient and practical.

[0007] Longitude cannot be determined using the Coriolis force; other physical methods must be employed. Unlike latitude, longitude divides the Earth evenly, making it difficult to characterize longitude within the confines of Earth's physics unless surface geography is utilized. In reality, Earth's longitude coordinates are purely artificial. The designation of the Greenwich Observatory in the UK as 0 degrees longitude is entirely artificial, but due to geographical variations across the globe, this artificial division has practical significance.

[0008] Tidal phenomena and the variations in tidal forces throughout the day indicate that the sun's gravitational pull on Earth is both distinct and significant at different locations, as is the moon's attraction. The orderly differences in the sun and moon's gravitational pull on different locations on the Earth's surface, as well as their varying combined gravitational forces, make it possible to measure longitude. Of course, these gravitational measurements must account for the Earth's own gravity, and since Earth is not a perfect sphere, the differences in its own gravity at different locations are significant. A table can be compiled to measure the apparent gravitational pull of a fixed mass object at different locations, resulting in the Earth's own gravity and the combined gravitational pull of the sun and moon at different locations. By looking up the table, one can obtain the longitude of the location, or even the complete longitude and latitude information. As one might imagine, due to complex factors such as the combined positions of the sun and moon, the Earth's pear-shaped shape, and the uneven distribution of land and water, the magnitude and direction of gravitational pulls measured at different longitudes and latitudes may appear disordered, and the measured data may be similar or even overlap. In this case, using the Coriolis force, as previously discussed, to measure latitude can be an important basis for determining longitude and latitude.

[0009] Gravity measurement can be achieved in a variety of ways. For example, an inverted cone is freely suspended from a precision spring. When the Earth, Moon, Sun, and object are aligned, the point pointed by the cone tip is the Earth's center, and the spring length is the simple synthesis of different gravitational forces in the same direction. However, when the Earth, Moon, Sun, and object are not aligned, the complex synthesis of gravitational forces in different directions will cause the point pointed by the cone tip to deviate. Calculating this deviation and referencing the spring length can determine the object's probable longitude and latitude. Combined with the latitude provided by the Coriolis force measurement, the true longitude can be determined. The use of optical devices and principles at the cone tip can achieve even greater accuracy.

[0010] Another approach to measuring gravity is to utilize the torsion balance invented by Cavendish to measure universal gravitation. The traditional Cavendish torsion balance eliminates the influence of Earth's gravity by setting it horizontally and amplifies the observed effect using optical reflectors, allowing precise measurements of the universal gravitational force between any two objects. To eliminate the influence of Earth's gravity and emphasize the gravitational forces of the sun and moon, the Cavendish torsion balance can be improved. At times and locations where the Earth, moon, sun, and object are aligned, a center point and a horizontal plane, called the absolute center point and the absolute horizontal plane, are set in the positioning system. These points precisely point to the center of the Earth. Gyroscopes are used to maintain the stability of the absolute center point and the absolute horizontal plane. When an object is in a different position—that is, when the Earth, moon, and sun are not aligned—there will inevitably be deviations between its apparent center and the absolute center, and between its apparent horizontal plane and the absolute horizontal plane. These deviations can be amplified optically to measure gravity and calculate longitude and latitude. Gravity measurements and longitude and latitude calculations also need to consider that the Earth's orbit around the sun is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse that approximates a circle.

[0011] Finally, the different heights or depths of the ground measured by the altitude sensor can be used to correct the longitude and latitude information, ultimately achieving accurate surface positioning.

[0012] The positioning method described above is both autonomous and independent of external signals, independent of historical motion trajectories and without accumulated errors. It is also accurate and minimally affected by interference. Therefore, it has advantages that are difficult to replace by traditional positioning methods (such as satellite positioning, gyroscope positioning, and geomagnetic positioning).

Claims

1. Positioning methods based on the specific physical principles described below, including latitude positioning and longitude positioning.

2. Latitude positioning is based on the measurement of Coriolis force, including but not limited to the specific methods mentioned in the instructions.

3. Longitude positioning is based on the measurement of the gravitational pull of the sun and moon on the positioning object, including but not limited to the specific methods mentioned in the instructions.

4. An instrument device for positioning designed based on the principles of claims 2 and 3.