Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

TOA/FOA geolocation error analysis.

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/957215· OSTI ID:957215
This paper describes how confidence intervals can be calculated for radiofrequency emitter position estimates based on time-of-arrival and frequency-of-arrival measurements taken at several satellites. These confidence intervals take the form of 50th and 95th percentile circles and ellipses to convey horizontal error and linear intervals to give vertical error. We consider both cases where an assumed altitude is and is not used. Analysis of velocity errors is also considered. We derive confidence intervals for horizontal velocity magnitude and direction including the case where the emitter velocity is assumed to be purely horizontal, i.e., parallel to the ellipsoid. Additionally, we derive an algorithm that we use to combine multiple position fixes to reduce location error. The algorithm uses all available data, after more than one location estimate for an emitter has been made, in a mathematically optimal way.
Research Organization:
Sandia National Laboratories
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
957215
Report Number(s):
SAND2008-5682
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English