Gravity gradient-terrain aided navigation based on particle filter

Abstract

Based on Particle Filter, Gravity Gradient-Terrain aided position technology is proposed in this paper. With the sensitivity of gravity gradient to terrain, the gravity gradient reference map can be computed from the local terrain elevation data. The position can be actualized through matching the real-time measured gravity gradient data to the prepared gravity gradient reference map. The most widely used approximate filtering method is the extended Kaman filter (EKF). EKF is computationally simple but, the convergence of the state estimation for the position is not guaranteed. Particle filter (PF) makes use of the non-linear state and measurement functions, no linearization technology is needed. PF can assure the convergence of the state estimation which follows from the classical results on convergence of Bayesian estimators. Simulations have been done and Particle filter has been shown to be a superior alternative to the EKF in the gravity gradient-terrain matching navigation systems.