| 摘要 |
A method and apparatus for utilizing the earth's static electric field as a reference for generating an information-bearing electrical signal. In a particular embodiment, the invention provides a differential static voltmeter having spaced voltage sensing probes and a differential static amplifier which determines the difference in voltage sensed by the probes. Since the probes measure the static voltage which occurs as a vertically oriented gradient in the earth's atmosphere, the voltage difference signal produced by the differential static amplifier is a measure of the disposition of the probes relative to a line usually parallel to the earth's surface, the voltmeter thereby being particularly useful as a pitch and roll stabilization reference and control system for airborne vehicles. In other embodiments, the invention also provides apparatus for defining a horizontal reference plane in the atmosphere and apparatus for sensing the roll or pitch rate of an airborne vehicle.
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