Abstract
Atmospheric impairment-induced attenuation is the prominent source of signal degradation in radio wave communication channels. The computation-based modeling of radio wave attenuation over the atmosphere is the stepwise application of relevant radio propagation models, data, and procedures to effectively and prognostically estimate the losses of the propagated radio signals that have been induced by atmospheric constituents. This contribution aims to perform a detailed prognostic evaluation of radio wave propagation attenuation due to rain, free space, gases, and cloud over the atmosphere at the ultra-high frequency band. This aim has been achieved by employing relevant empirical atmospheric data and suitable propagation models for robust prognostic modeling using experimental measurements. Additionally, the extrapolative attenuation estimation results and the performance analysis were accomplished by engaging different stepwise propagation models and computation parameters often utilized in Earth–satellite and terrestrial communications. Results indicate that steady attenuation loss levels rise with increasing signal carrier frequency where free space is more dominant. The attenuation levels attained due to rain, cloud, atmospheric gases, and free space are also dependent on droplet depths, sizes, composition, and statistical distribution. While moderate and heavy rain depths achieved 3 dB and 4 dB attenuations, the attenuation due to light rainfall attained a 2.5 dB level. The results also revealed that attenuation intensity levels induced by atmospheric gases and cloud effects are less than that of rain. The prognostic-based empirical attenuation modeling results can provide first-hand information to radio transmission engineers on link budgets concerning various atmospheric impairment effects during radio frequency network design, deployment, and management, essentially at the ultra-high frequency band.
Highlights
In terrestrial cellular communication networks, the electromagnetic waves radiate through the space communication channels [1–3]
The extrapolative attenuation estimation results and the performance analysis have been accomplished by engaging different computation and modeling parameters from those often utilized in Earth–satellite and terrestrial communications
This result is followed by rain rate attenuation, atmospheric gases and cloud values
Summary
In terrestrial cellular communication networks, the electromagnetic waves radiate through the space communication channels [1–3]. The transmitted electromagnetic waves, the primary information carrier, spread out via the transmitting and receiver antennae, employing different propagation mechanisms such as scattering, diffraction, reflection, and refraction [4]. These occur when all forms of manmade and natural obstacles impede the communication paths and amplitudes. Slow fluctuations occur due to atmospheric precipitation particles, rain water droplets, which often absorb, disperse, and scatter the amplitude and energy of transmitted electromagnetic signals in the Earth–satellite and terrestrial communication links [9–11]. Oxygen, cloud and snow particles in space are some of the key atmospheric variables that have huge and drastic effects on the energies of transmitted electromagnetic signals, reducing their reliability and availability at the user equipment terminals [13].
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