Fluctuations in millimeter-wave signals propagated through inclement weather

Results are presented from measurements of the effects of inclement weather on the fluctuations in amplitude and phase of millimeter-wave (MMW) signals propagated through the atmosphere. These measurements were made at frequencies near 116, 140, 173, and 230 GHz at a site near Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, in a community chosen for its exceptional flatness and lack of terrain features that might perturb the atmosphere. It was found that this inclement weather fluctuations are generally smaller than those observed in clear air under sunny conditions, and are also smaller than the corresponding effects observed at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Rain has the greatest effect on MMW transmission, causing large, slow changes in received signal strength as a function of rain rate. It should also be noted that rain caused the only observed loss of the propagation link, during a thunderstorm in which the rain rate was as high as 60 mm/h. It is concluded that, in general, millimeter-wave radiation propagates well in adverse weather, with rain causing the major problems