Title :
Model-based prediction of amplitude scintillation variance due to clear-air tropospheric turbulence on Earth-satellite microwave links
Author :
Marzano, Frank S. ; D´Auria, Giovanni
Author_Institution :
Dipt. di Ingegneria Elettrica, Univ. dell´´Aquila, Italy
fDate :
10/1/1998 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A statistical method to predict tropospheric amplitude scintillation parameters along Earth-space microwave links from meteorological data is proposed. The evaluation of the mean value and the variance of the refractive-index structure constant and of the scintillation power (i.e. the variance of the log-amplitude fluctuations of the received electromagnetic field) is carried out from conventional radio-sounding measurements. A large radio-sounding data set, collected in Northern Italy over ten years is utilized to simulate clear-air amplitude scintillation variance at microwaves and millimeter-waves on slant paths. Scintillation statistics of interest for link-budget design are also derived from the radio-sounding data set for short and long-term applications. Scintillation prediction formulas, based on measurements of surface temperature and relative humidity, are also derived and regression coefficient tables are given on an hourly and a monthly basis. Comparisons of short-term and long-term prediction results with Olympus down-link measurements at 19.8 GHz are shown and discussed. A model investigation about the statistical correlation between scintillation power and brightness temperature is performed, deriving an extension of the estimation methods to include integrated water vapor measurements from ground-based microwave radiometers
Keywords :
atmospheric humidity; atmospheric temperature; atmospheric turbulence; microwave links; microwave propagation; satellite links; statistical analysis; tropospheric electromagnetic wave propagation; 19.8 GHz; Earth-satellite microwave links; Northern Italy; Olympus down-link measurements; amplitude scintillation variance; brightness temperature; clear-air tropospheric turbulence; estimation methods; ground-based microwave radiometer data; integrated water vapor measurements; link-budget design; log-amplitude fluctuations; mean value; millimeter-waves; model-based prediction; radio-sounding; received electromagnetic field; refractive-index structure constant; regression coefficient tables; relative humidity; scintillation power; slant paths; statistical correlation; statistical method; surface temperature; Electromagnetic fields; Electromagnetic measurements; Electromagnetic refraction; Fluctuations; Meteorology; Microwave theory and techniques; Power measurement; Predictive models; Statistical analysis; Temperature measurement;
Journal_Title :
Antennas and Propagation, IEEE Transactions on