Probabilistic dust storm layers impacting satellite communications

Dust storms are a significant cause of wireless channel impairments, often observed in arid and semi-arid areas of the world. Measurement of weather induced impairments is an essential component for evaluating optimal link budgets of satellite communication links. Study of regional surface characteristics gives necessary information about probable intensity and altitudes of dust storms arising in that area. Furthermore, several mathematical variables including visibility, average dust particles size, permittivity indices, etc. are required for quantifying the weather impairments and acquiring estimates. This paper encompasses development of a physical model for dust storms having several visibility dependent horizontal layers with reference to variations in altitude along with probabilistic dust particle sizes distribution in each layer. Such strategies help in obtaining accurate impairment estimates, assisting to optimally design the link budgets. Further insight to this phenomenon is justified by simulation results for visibility, point and dust attenuations.