Atom Strapdown: Toward Integrated Quantum Inertial Navigation Systems

authored by: Benjamin Tennstedt, Ashwin Rajagopalan, Nicolai Ben Weddig, Sven Abend, Steffen Schön, Ernst Maria Rasel
Abstract: We present an alternative technique for estimating the response of a cold atom interferometer (CAI). Using data from a conventional inertial measurement unit (IMU) and common strapdown terminology, the position of the atom wave packet is tracked in a newly introduced sensor frame, enabling hybridization of both systems in terms of acceleration and angular rate measurements. The sensor frame allows for an easier mathematical description of the CAI measurement and integration into higher-level navigation systems. The dynamic terms resulting from the transformation of the IMU frame into the CAI sensor frame are evaluated in simulations. The implementation of the method as a prediction model in an extended Kalman filter is explained and demonstrated in realistic simulations, showing improvements of over two orders of magnitude with respect to the conventional IMU strapdown solution. Finally, the implications of these findings for future hybrid quantum navigation systems are discussed.
Organisation(s): Institute of Geodesy
Institute of Quantum Optics
Type: Article
Journal: Navigation, Journal of the Institute of Navigation
Volume: 70
ISSN: 0028-1522
Publication date: 2023
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.33012/navi.604 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{7af14f245d194d8b8d7f9989809735c4,
title = "Atom Strapdown: Toward Integrated Quantum Inertial Navigation Systems",
abstract = "We present an alternative technique for estimating the response of a cold atom interferometer (CAI). Using data from a conventional inertial measurement unit (IMU) and common strapdown terminology, the position of the atom wave packet is tracked in a newly introduced sensor frame, enabling hybridization of both systems in terms of acceleration and angular rate measurements. The sensor frame allows for an easier mathematical description of the CAI measurement and integration into higher-level navigation systems. The dynamic terms resulting from the transformation of the IMU frame into the CAI sensor frame are evaluated in simulations. The implementation of the method as a prediction model in an extended Kalman filter is explained and demonstrated in realistic simulations, showing improvements of over two orders of magnitude with respect to the conventional IMU strapdown solution. Finally, the implications of these findings for future hybrid quantum navigation systems are discussed.",
keywords = "atom interferometry, hybridization, inertial navigation, sensor fusion",
author = "Benjamin Tennstedt and Ashwin Rajagopalan and Weddig, {Nicolai Ben} and Sven Abend and Steffen Sch{\"o}n and Rasel, {Ernst Maria}",
note = "This research was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) due to an enactment of the German Bundestag under Grant 50RK1957 (QGyro) and 50NA2106 (QGyro+). The team also acknowledges funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany{\textquoteright}s Excellence Strategy—EXC-2123 QuantumFrontiers—Project-ID 390837967.",
year = "2023",
doi = "10.33012/navi.604",
language = "English",
volume = "70",
journal = "Navigation, Journal of the Institute of Navigation",
issn = "0028-1522",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "4",
}