Satellite Constellation Magnetic Field Mapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for estimating Earth's magnetic field require several months of observations due to orbital precession, making it challenging to achieve global mapping in time scales shorter than six months while correcting for seasonal signals and true changes in the magnetic field.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a network of globally distributed satellites to receive, analyze, and combine magnetometer measurements, allowing for the generation of a magnetic field model within a day by inter-calibrating data from multiple satellites, selecting quiet intervals to minimize external signal contributions, and applying spherical harmonic analysis to refine the model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If satellite observations are made along one or two orbital planes, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases because several months are required to span all local times
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the measurement task by deploying multiple satellites in different orbital planes, each collecting data simultaneously. This parallel segmentation allows global coverage to be achieved in a single day rather than waiting for orbital precession to bring one or two satellites through all longitudes over months.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds the dimension of multiple orbital planes to the measurement system. Instead of relying on a single satellite's orbital precession over time to achieve longitudinal coverage, multiple satellites in different orbital planes provide simultaneous coverage across all longitudes, transforming a time-based solution into a spatial-parallel solution.
2Measurement precision
If surface measurements together with satellite observations are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes existing communication satellites multi-functional by equipping them with magnetometers. These satellites continue their primary telecommunications function while simultaneously serving as magnetic field measurement platforms, eliminating the need for dedicated scientific satellites and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention leverages the self-service capability of existing satellite constellations (like Iridium) that are already globally distributed and operational. By utilizing these pre-deployed satellites with their existing ground infrastructure, the system avoids the complexity of launching and managing dedicated measurement satellites while achieving global coverage.
3Productivity
If data from multiple satellites are combined, then productivity is improved by generating models in less than one day, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an intermediary processing system that receives magnetometer data from multiple satellites, performs inter-calibration to account for individual satellite variations, and integrates the data into a unified global model. This intermediary layer manages the complexity of multi-satellite data fusion while enabling rapid model generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies parameter changes through inter-calibration procedures that adjust individual satellite measurements to a common reference frame. By transforming each satellite's data parameters to be consistent with others in the constellation, the system enables straightforward combination of measurements without managing the full complexity of individual satellite variations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces the time needed to determine the Earth's magnetic field globally, improving the accuracy and frequency of magnetic field estimates and allowing for real-time corrections to existing models.
Implementation Method 1
Each original (herein, Block 1) and NEXT Iridium satellite is equipped as part of the satellite systems with a magnetometer capable of measuring the magnetic field of Earth and its environment
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method includes: receipt and accession of magnetic field data from a constellation of satellites providing global coverage over the Earth in a time span less than one day; inter-calibrating the magnetic field data from all satellites to a common standard; quantifying the global magnetic disturbance and selecting quiescent intervals at least as short as one day for evaluation of Earth's internally-generated field; calculating global maps of the mean vector magnetic field for each quiet interval from the average of all satellite measurements in angular bins; converting the time sequence of global maps of the mean fields to time series of angular harmonic coefficients via direct convolution; applying spectral and regression analysis to the harmonic coefficient time series to identify and remove artifacts in the signals; reconstructing a continuous time and spatial representation of the magnetic field continuous in time and angular position globally.