A meteor scatter communications system data throughput model

A detailed computer model designed to predict the theoretical duty cycle of a general forward meteor scatter communications link is presented. The model incorporates effects such as major shower streams, non-uniform radiant distribution and antenna polarisation coupling. A particularly useful aspect of the model is the capacity to monitor the passage of hotspot regions across the sky. Duty cycle results from a conceptually simple equatorial East-West link reproduce very well the expected four-to-one variation in the efficiency of a meteor scatter system operating at dawn and dusk. A 30% degradation in the daily averaged duty cycle of an equatorial North-South link reveals the extreme aspect angle sensitivity of meteor scatter systems. A comparative study between monthly averages of the duty cycle from the model and data from the Sondrestrom-Narssarssuaq link in Greenland over a year shows good overall agreement but may highlight shortcomings in the extent and details of the shower streams included in the computer simulations