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Quantum compass and next generation navigation


Kimmo Huosionmaa

The vulnerabilities of GPS systems have been noticed, and that system has many weaknesses. The use of satellites makes it vulnerable to ASAT (Anti Satellite)-missiles, and another kind of weapons. That's why the military forces of the world are looking for the replacement for GPS. Even if the new systems, what bases the jumping frequencies are more immune to jamming than old systems, the replacement, what does not need satellites are now under the development.

Quantum compass might replace the GPS because it's immune to jamming systems. The major weaknesses of the GPS are the system uses satellites for giving the position of the point. And this is why GPS is quite easy to jam, and the other weaknesses are that the system cannot be used in underground or EMP-protected places.

Also, northern lights are disturbing that device, because they form ion layer in the top of the atmosphere. This means that the operators, who use GPS must find another way to locate themselves. The answer in submarines has been to use the Inertial navigation system, what connects the information of the speed of the thing, what uses that system, and the gyroscope meters the direction of the ship or aircraft.  In modern gyroscopes, the layer would lay in the magnetic field, and it is rotating like in the electric motors. The lasers would observe the direction and positioning of that magnetic plate, what reacts extreme sharply in any changes in direction of the system.

By using this information can the computer map the position, if the beginning point of the journey is known in the vehicle. This navigation system can map the entire route of the navigated thing. But this system requires the begin location for mapping, or it is useless. This is the problem with this system. Also, the problem is to make it enough small that person can carry it in the pocket, and the need of speed information makes this thing hard to use in ground vehicles.  Setting the beginning point of navigation is also difficult if the person jumps by using a parachute, where the beginning point is hard to locate.

The answer for the problem could be the very sharp magnetic compass, what bases technology, where the layer is floating in the magnetic field, and the multiple lasers are observing the position of that thing. The new kind of systems might be the combination, where is magnetic and gyro compass working together. Those systems might be very small and that would make them very light and effective.

The magnetic version of this compass works with a similar principle with normal magnetic compass, and the system calculates the place of the system by using the angle of the north pole for locating the system. The difference between the Inertial navigation system is that the plate must be in a stable position. There would be extremely thin magnet nail on it, and that makes possible to locate the magnetic north pole very sharply.

If those systems are based with nanotechnology, where the plates are extremely thin, and the width will be the only couple of micrometers and the size is smaller than coin or even the thumbtacks, the system would be extremely small. But of course, the operator needs more information and one is the knowledge about where the system is. So the operator must put the state or some coordinates, where he might be, that the computer can locate the person. This might be the next generation locating system.

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