PETOOL v2.0: Parabolic Equation Toolbox with evaporation duct models and real environment data

Abstract

A new version of PETOOL (Parabolic Equation Toolbox) is introduced with various additional capabilities. PETOOL is an open-source and MATLAB-based software tool with a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) for the analysis and visualization of electromagnetic wave propagation over variable terrain and through arbitrary atmosphere. Four novel features of the second version are as follows: (i) Several evaporation duct models have been developed. (ii) Real atmosphere data have been included in the form of “Binary Universal Form for Representation (BUFR)” data developed by “World Meteorological Organization (WMO)”. (iii) Real terrain data have been incorporated into the toolbox in the form of “Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED)” developed by “National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)”. (iv) A special add-on has been developed to generate a 3D coverage map of propagation factor/loss on real terrain data. The toolbox can be used for research and/or educational purposes to analyze more realistic propagation scenarios in an easier and flexible manner. Program summaryProgram title: PETOOL v2.0 (Parabolic Equation Toolbox v2.0)CPC Library link to program files:http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/v8f42rn2zs.1Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License 3Programming language: MATLAB (MathWorks Inc.) R2019a. Partial Differential Toolbox, Curve Fitting Toolbox and Mapping Toolbox required.Journal Reference of previous version: O. Ozgun, G. Apaydin, M. Kuzuoglu, and L. Sevgi, PETOOL: MATLAB-based one-way and two-way split-step parabolic equation tool for radiowave propagation over variable terrain, Computer Physics Communications 182 (2011) 2638–2654.Does the new version supersede the previous version?: YesReasons for the new version: The new version of the toolbox has been enriched with several add-ons which allow the toolbox to make more realistic analyses with real terrain and atmospheric data. The toolbox has the ability to read real atmospheric data in the form of BUFR data and real terrain data in the form of DTED data. A wide range of evaporation duct models has been incorporated into the toolbox. A special add-on has been developed to generate a 3D coverage map of propagation factor/loss on real terrain data. Hence, the toolbox can be used to analyze more realistic propagation scenarios in an easier and flexible manner.Summary of revisions: (i) Several evaporation duct models have been included with real atmospheric data in BUFR format. (ii) Real terrain data in DTED format have been incorporated into the toolbox. (iii) A special add-on has been developed to generate a 3D coverage map of propagation factor/loss on real terrain data.Nature of problem: This program is designed with a user-friendly GUI for the analysis and visualization of radio-wave propagation over variable terrain on the Earth’s surface, and through homogeneous and inhomogeneous atmosphere by using real atmosphere and terrain data. It can easily model both horizontally- and vertically-varying atmospheric refraction (especially ducting) and multipath effects.Solution method: The program employs one-way and two-way Split-Step Parabolic Equation (SSPE) algorithms with a wide-angle propagator. The SSPE is an initial-value problem starting from a reference range (typically from an antenna), and marching out in range by obtaining the field along the vertical direction at each range step, through the use of step-by-step Fourier transformations. The two-way algorithm incorporates the backward-propagating waves into the standard one-way SSPE by utilizing an iterative forward–backward scheme for modeling multipath effects over a staircase-approximated terrain.