Expanded third-order Markov undulation model

Abstract

An expanded form of the third-order Markov undulation model is developed which includes undulation of the geoid, vertical deflections, gravity anomaly, and the anomalous gravity gradients. First, the complete set of autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions, as specified by the autocorrelation of undulation, is obtained. Then, a time-domain approach is used to synthesize the corresponding linear system driven by white noise that represents the anomalous gravity field behavior along a straight horizontal track. The resulting nine-state Markov model provides a shaping filter for applying covariance analysis and optimal estimation techniques to inertial navigation and gravity gradiometry systems analysis. ONTINUED mechanical refinement has brought inertial navigation technology to the stage where unmodeled variations in the Earth's gravity field have become significant and sometimes dominant error sources.1 At the same time, inertial navigation system analysts have been facing the task of developing error models to evaluate the impact of gravity uncertainties on navigation system performance. Ad- ditionally, the development of gravity gradiometers has made it necessary to model gravity-gradient signals to specify sensor requirements and analyze gradiometer-aided inertial navigation or gradiometry survey performance. To apply the powerful tools of linear system theory and Kalman filtering, it has become common to consider gravity uncertainties random variables, and to model them as Markov processes. Following the first treatment of vertical deflections as a first-order Markov process,2 a succession of higher order Markov models was proposed culminating with the third- order Markov undulation model3'4 which is fully self- consistent; that is, the auto- and cross-correlation functions of undulation, vertical deflections, and gravity anomaly obey and are derived according to the mathematical relationships of physical geodesy. The motivation for using Markov models for gravity un- certainties is that they can be cast in the form of linear dif- ferential equations driven by white noise. This allows use of the model as a shaping filter in covariance analysis of linear dynamic systems, Kalman filters, and optimal smoothing algorithms. The expanded third-order Markov undulation model described in this paper is derived from the original version, but it has three differences. First, it was found that the original model could easily be extended to include all the anomalous gravity gradients by continued differentiation of auto- and cross-correlation functions. Second, the exact cross-correlation function between undulation and gravity anomaly contains modified Bessel functions.4 Modified Bessel functions are solutions to a class of differential equations whose coefficients are functions of the independent variable. To obtain a Markov shaping filter, it is necessary to substitute an approximate function which is the solution to a linear differential equation with constant coefficients. While the chosen exponential form did not approximate the exact Bessel function as well as at first hoped possible, it provides a suitable representation of the un- dulation-gravity anomaly cross-correlation.