Prediction of microwave slant-path attenuation from point rainfall-rate measurements

An experiment is described in which a rapid-response (10 s) raingauge was operated for 3 years with an 11.6 GHz radiometer directed along an inclined radio path such as might be used with a communications satellite. Cumulative statistics of the path attenuation due to rain are computed from the radiometer results and compared with cumulative rainfall-rate statistics for each of the 3-year periods. The spread between successive years is considered to be small enough for reliable predictions of attenuation to be made from the raingauge results. The application to data obtained from slower-response raingauges is considered.