Platform for a Cold Atom Inertial Navigation System

Lynntech in collaboration with the atomic physics group at the University of Virginia propose to implement an experimental study of the decohering effects on a Bose Einstein Condensate interferometer. The end result will be the specifications for the design of a stable rotation platform used for the validation of a BEC based inertial navigation system. An ideal navigation system would provide guiding information with high degree of accuracy to the application (e.g. a satellite) while simultaneously being completely self referencing. In other words, the guiding system would be self sustained and not require exterior communications to provide orientation and positioning. A navigation system of this type would be jam free and produce a non-traceable signature. Inertial force sensing platforms provide a solution for self-referencing guiding systems. Development in interferometry has yielded revolutionary inertial sensing capabilities. Research has shown cold atom interferometers can be effectively used to sense rotation with sensitivity superior to current state of the art. Development of novel BEC apparatus and trapping techniques, have yielded functional interferometers that could be used for inertial sensing. The Air force objective is to use the rotation sensor as an integral part of a navigation system to be mounted on a satellite.