Patent ID: 6853331

Claim:
A method of compensating for atmospheric effects while using near horizon radar to detect an object, said method utilizing a preexisting satellite structured to send a signal indicating the position and velocity of said satellite, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a radar site, a first receiver structured to receive a signal from said satellite, a second receiver structured to receive a signal from said satellite, and weather data; b) positioning said first receiver near said radar site; c) positioning said second receiver at a distance from the radar site; d) utilizing said first receiver to receive a signal from said satellite when said satellite is at a low elevation relative to said radar site, said signal indicating the apparent location data of said satellite, while simultaneously utilizing said second receiver to receive a signal from said satellite when said satellite is at a high elevation relative to said second receiver, said signal indicating the observed location data of said satellite; e) comparing said signal from said first receiver relative to said signal from said second receiver to isolate the Doppler shift of said signal; t) analyzing the Doppler shift of said signal to determine the bending angle of the atmosphere; g) creating a three-dimensional refractivity field model based on said weather data and said bending angle data; h) using said radar site to detect the apparent location data of a low elevation object; and i) determining the location of the low elevation object by applying the bending angle to the apparent location data of the object.