Trends in the incidence of rain height and the effects on global satellite telecommunications

Paulson, K.; Al-Mreri, A.

Abstract

Satellite communications using millimetre waves, in Ka band and above, experience significant fading by rain. Strong attenuation is experienced between the ground station and a level known as the rain height, in ITU-R recommendations assumed to be 360 m above the zero-degree isotherm (ZDI). This paper examines NOAA NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis 1 data to identify changes in the ZDI height over the last 30 years. Near the equator and the poles the ZDI height has been approximately stable over this period. However, in mid-latitudes, different regions show trends of increasing or decreasing ZDI height. Over the economically important regions of North America, China and Western Europe, the ZDI height has shown an increasing trend with peak rates in the range of 8 to 10 metres per year. Given a twenty-year life-time of a satellite system, this could lead to a 10 to 20% increase in fade intensity from a similar rain event. The effect will be compounded by increasing trends in the incidence of heavy rain recently identified in UK data. These trends will need to be considered when designing new systems.

Citation

Paulson, K., & Al-Mreri, A. (2011). Trends in the incidence of rain height and the effects on global satellite telecommunications. IET Microwaves Antennas and Propagation, 5(14), 1710-1713. https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-map.2010.0507

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 13, 2011
• Online Publication Date: Dec 22, 2011
• Publication Date: Nov 18, 2011
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: IET microwaves antennas & propagation
• Print ISSN: 1751-8725
• Publisher: Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 14
• Pages: 1710-1713
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-map.2010.0507
• Keywords: Satellite communication; Rain height
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/466913
• Publisher URL: http://www.crossref.org/iPage?doi=10.1049%2Fiet-map.2010.0507
• Additional Information: Authors' accepted manuscript of article published in: IET microwaves antennas & propagation, 2011, v.5, issue 14.
• Contract Date: Nov 13, 2014