Abstract

Pulsed laser ranging systems are being used to measure accurately the distance from the earth to retroreflector equipped satellites. At the lower elevation angles horizontal refractivity gradients can introduce centimeter level errors into the range measurements. A correction formula which compensates for the gradient effects is developed and evaluated using typical meteorological data obtained from weather stations located near Washington, D.C.

© 1977 Optical Society of America

Ray tracing evaluation of a technique for correcting the refraction errors in satellite tracking data

C. S. Gardner, J. R. Rowlett, and B. E. Hendrickson
Appl. Opt. 17(19) 3143-3145 (1978)

Corrections for atmospheric refractivity in satellite laser ranging

R. S. Iyer and J. L. Bufton
Appl. Opt. 16(7) 1997-2003 (1977)

Technique for remotely measuring surface pressure from a satellite using a multicolor laser ranging system

C. S. Gardner
Appl. Opt. 18(18) 3184-3189 (1979)

Effects of random path fluctuations on the accuracy of laser ranging systems

C. S. Gardner
Appl. Opt. 15(10) 2539-2545 (1976)

Laser ranging error budget for the TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite

Jon A. Schwartz
Appl. Opt. 29(25) 3590-3596 (1990)