Modelling and Analysis of Received Signal Strength - Based Emitter Geolocation from Single Geostationary Satellite with Multiple Antennas using STK Toolkit

ABSTRACT

This paper considers geolocation of a transmitter being steered by antennas installed on geostationary satellite using received signal strength (RSS) metric. The difference in the signal strengths is measured by the antennas and subsequently plotted as lines of position (LOP) on the surface of the earth. Intersection of these two or more LOP indicates the location of the terrestrial RF transmitters. This problem is appropriately modelled using Satellite Tool Kit (STK) to geolocate a transmitter based on spatially separated RSS measurements. Accuracy and size of the geolocation area depends on the distance between transmitter and the receiver and the contour widths geometry. Results of geolocation accuracy is compared by increasing the RF transmitter latitude at different contour widths. It is observed that transmitter placed at lower latitudes and having smaller contour widths provided a higher accuracy validating the proposed formulation.

KEYWORDS:

• Received Signal Strength (RSS)
• emitter geolocation
• geostationary Satellite
• satellite Tool Kit (STK)
• lines of Position (LOP)

Acknowledgements

The author(s) wish to thank the team of Defence Electronics Research Laboratory for providing access to Satellite Tool Kit software. Any opinions and conclusions expressed in this papers are those of the author(s) and does not reflect views or findings of Defence Electronics Research Laboratory.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anupam Sharma

Anupam Sharma Scientist ‘G’ did his post graduation from JK Institute of Applied Physics & Technology, Allahabad. He joined Defence Research Development Organization in 1990. For the last 27 years, he has extensively worked in the field of Electronic Warfare at Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Hyderabad. His contribution in research has resulted in success of many Programmes and Projects of national importance. He is presently additional director for special projects, Associate Programme Director of a prestigious DRDO Programme and is also steering a Programme for high altitude EW system as Project Director. He is recipient of DRDO Performance Excellence Award. He has published several papers in many international conferences. His main research interest includes area of radar signal processing, electronic warfare signal processing and statistical signal processing. He is a member of IETE, AOC and CSI.

Suman Agrawal

Suman Agrawal Scientist-E did her B-Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering in 2001 from Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, Bhopal, MP. She completed her M.Tech in Signal Processing and Communication Networks in 2014 from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK). She is working in Defence Research Development Organization, Hyderabad, Telangana since 2001 till date in the field of EW. Her research interests are in statistical signal processing, wireless communication, speech communication and the development of efficient adaptive signal processing algorithms for various applications including echo cancellation and source localization. She is a member of IAENG and IETE.

Charul Bhatnagar

Charul Bhatnagar has more than nineteen years of teaching experience for both graduate and Post Graduate students. She has supervised one PhD Thesis and more than twenty five Post Graduate Thesis. Currently she is a professor in the Department of Computer Engineering and Applications, GLA University, Mathura, India.

She has published many research papers in International and National Journals and Conferences. She has edited two books and has one Book Chapter in Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, Springer Nature. Her main research is in the areas of Medical Image Processing, Computer Vision and Intelligent Systems. She is a Life Time Member of Computer Society of India.

D S Chauhan

D S Chauhan did his B.Tech. in 1972 from IIT. B.H.U. and M.Tech in 1978 from N.I.T., Tiruchirapalli. He completed his Ph.D in 1986 from IIT, Delhi. He did his post doctoral work at Goddard Space Flight Centre, Greenbelt Maryland, USA.

He has served at BHU from 1979 till April 2013 as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and then Professor. He has served as Director, KNIT, Sultanpur from 1999 to 2000. From 2000 to 2013 he was the Vice-Chancellor of various universities such as U.P. Technical University, Lovely Professional University, Jaypee University of Information Technology and Uttarakhand Technical Universit. He was Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities from 2013 to 2014. He is presently Vice-Chancellor, GLA University, Mathura and Chairman, BOAT(NR), Kanpur.

He has produced 41 Ph.D. and 2 D.Sc. and published 267 research papers in International and National Journals and Conferences. He was Chairman, Advisory Committee (UGC nominee) of 4 Deemed Medical Universities and Member Board of Governors, Doon School. Jointly, authored 5 books, published 100 popular articles in different magazines and news papers. Member of IEEE, AICTE, UGC, FIE, Life Member, ISTE, Member ACM, Member SIAM, Academic of International Bodies.