Ionospheric Tomography via Vertical Boundary Truncation Rays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computerized ionospheric tomography methods face limitations due to insufficient quantity, unreasonable geometric distribution, and low vertical resolution of multi-factor observation information, restricting their application and accuracy in ionospheric electron density reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
A computerized ionospheric tomography method based on vertical boundary truncation rays, which involves obtaining initial ionospheric electron density and total electron content values, extending the target region to include GNSS stations, calculating vertical boundary truncation TEC values, and building a three-dimensional model for improved inversion accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional CIT methods are used with standard observation data, then the inversion process can be completed, but the inversion accuracy is limited due to insufficient quantity and unreasonable geometric distribution of observation information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the target region beyond the original boundaries to include additional GNSS stations before performing the inversion. This preliminary expansion of the observation network area provides more rays and better geometric distribution, directly improving the quantity and quality of observation information available for inversion, thereby resolving the contradiction between limited observation quantity and required inversion accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vertical boundary truncation rays that traverse the extended target region, adding a new dimensional aspect to the observation geometry. By considering rays that enter and exit the target region through vertical boundaries, the method creates additional independent equations for inversion, improving both the quantity and geometric distribution of observation information without requiring more physical GNSS stations
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional CIT methods are used with standard observation data, then the inversion process can be completed, but the vertical resolution remains low due to limitations in observation information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ionospheric target region into a three-dimensional grid of voxels and introduces vertical boundary truncation rays that systematically sample different vertical levels. This segmentation approach, combined with the specific geometry of truncation rays, provides better vertical sampling without requiring additional physical measurement devices, thereby improving vertical resolution while maintaining the existing observation system
Solution Approach 2:
By introducing rays that traverse vertical boundaries and extending the target region in the vertical dimension, the patent adds vertical dimensional information to the inversion system. This dimensional enhancement improves vertical resolution by providing more independent constraints on vertical electron density structures without increasing horizontal device complexity
3Quantity of substance
If the target region is extended to include more GNSS stations, then the quantity and geometric distribution of observation information improve, but the computational domain becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes only the necessary portion of the extended target region by focusing on vertical boundary truncation rays that specifically traverse the boundaries. Rather than inverting the entire extended region, the method extracts the essential geometric information from the boundary-traversing rays, thereby increasing the quantity of useful observation information while keeping the computational inversion domain manageable
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology includes a computerized ionospheric tomography method based on vertical boundary truncation rays, which relates to the technical field of computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT). The method includes: obtaining an initial ionospheric electron density (IED) of each voxel in a target region and an ionospheric total electron content (TEC) value along a propagation path from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) satellite; extending the target region so that GNSS stations within a certain range beyond the target region are encompassed within the target region; for GNSS stations within a certain range in the target region, calculating a vertical boundary truncation TEC value; for the GNSS stations within the target region, calculating a vertical boundary truncation TEC value; and building a three-dimensional CIT model based on the vertical boundary truncation TEC values PrTEC and PsTEC.