High-Resolution ITU-R Cloud Attenuation Model for Satellite Communications in Tropical Region

Abstract

In this paper, the precipitable water vapor (PWV) data from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is introduced into ITU-R cloud attenuation model for higher temporal and spatial resolution for a tropical region. The revised model incorporates PWV value for estimation of cloud integrated liquid water content (ILWC) and then determines the cloud attenuation. In this study, ILWC along the propagation path is obtained by processing radiosonde vertical profile using the combination of a water vapor pressure cloud detection model and the Salonen and Uppala liquid water density model. From the analysis of 2 years of radiosonde data from eight sites within the tropical region, the results show that the ILWC along the path can be approximated by a power function relationship with the PWV. The estimated cloud attenuation using the improved model is compared with the values calculated using the ITU-R model and the cloud attenuation derived from a Ka-band beacon data. The results show that the proposed model is in good agreement with the ITU-R model at high percentage of time exceedance for the thin layer of stratus clouds and matches well with cloud attenuation suffered from beacon signal at low percentage of time exceedance for the thick layer of cumulonimbus clouds.