Experimental assessment of snow‐induced attenuation on an Earth‐space link operating at Ka‐band. Issue 10 (21st October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Amaya, César; García‐Rubia, José‐Miguel; Bouchard, Pierre; Nguyen, Tu
• Is Part Of: Radio science. Volume 49:Issue 10(2014)
• Page Start: 933
• Page End: 944
• Publication Date: 2014-10-21
• Subjects: Radio meteorology -- Periodicals; Radio wave propagation -- Periodicals; 621.38405
• DOI: 10.1002/2014RS005547
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0048-6604

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>This investigation assesses the attenuation induced by snowfall on an experimental slant‐path link that monitors the 20.199 GHz beacon signal of the Anik F2 satellite. Beacon data collected at Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) in Ottawa over 2 years, including the winters of 2010–2011 and 2011–2012, were analyzed as part of this study. The antenna of one of the two receivers used in the propagation campaign with Anik F2 was shielded, the first year under a tent and the second year under the roof of a building, in order to prevent degradations on the measured beacon signal due to snow or ice accumulation on the parabolic reflector surface. One of the main challenges of the study was the unambiguous identification of snow events. Information provided by several weather sensors, a profiling radiometer, and meteorological reports were used to help identify the type of precipitation. Events of wet and dry snow along with freezing rain are presented and discussed. Radiometric measurements of sky noise temperature were particularly useful to detect light snowfall events and to estimate event durations. Statistics of snow attenuation were derived for the winter months of the study. It is found that snow attenuation is modest at 20.2 GHz; however, modest attenuation may be important for small‐margin communication systems.</p> </abstract>