Analysis of Satellite-Based Navigation Signal Reflectometry: Simulations and Observations

A new wave propagator that can be used to simulate global navigation satellite systems reflected signals from ocean surfaces is presented. The wave propagator simulates the characteristics of a bistatic scattering system. Simulated GPS ocean surface reflections will be presented and discussed based on different ocean characteristics.

The spectra of the simulated surface reflections are analyzed, and the results from the simulations are compared to measured GPS surface reflections. The measurements were performed using a space-qualified GPS receiver placed on a mountain at the Haleakala observatory on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The GPS receiver was during the experiments running in an open-loop configuration. The analysis of both the simulated surface-reflection signals and the measured reflection signals will in general reveal spectral structures of the reflected signals that can lead to extraction of sea surface roughness, surfacewind speed, and direction.