The neutral atmosphere is characterized for the frequency range from 1 to 300 GHz as a nonturbulent propagation medium. Attenuation and propagation delay effects are predicted from meteorological data sets: pressure, temperature, humidity, suspended particle concentration, and rain rate. The physical data base of the propagation model consists of four terms: (a) resonance information for 30 water vapor and 48 oxygen absorption lines in the form of intensity coefficients and center frequency for each line; (b) a composite (oxygen, water vapor, and nitrogen) continuum spectrum; (c) a hydrosol attenuation term for haze, fog, ,and cloud conditions; and (d) a rain attenuation model. Oxygen lines extend into the mesosphere, where they behave in a complicated manner due to the Zeeman effect. The geomagnetic field strength H is required as an additional input parameter. Each 02 line splits proportionally with H into numerous, sub-lines, which are juxtaposed to form a Zeeman pattern spread over a megahertz scale. Patterns for three main polarization cases are calculated. Detailed examples for model atmospheres provide basic millimeter wave propagation information over the height range 0 to 100 km of the neutral atmosphere.

MPM—An atmospheric millimeter-wave propagation model

A new model is presented for the prediction of attenuation by rain on either terrestrial or slant earth-to-space propagation paths. The model was developed using geophysical observations of the statistics of point rain rate, of the horizontal structure of rainfall, and of the vertical temperature structure of the atmosphere. The model was tested by comparison with attenuation distribution observations. The results show excellent agreement; the observations differ from model predictions by less than the rms deviations predicted by the model.

Prediction of Attenuation by Rain

This paper reviews the theories and the results of numerical calculations of interactions between hydrometeors and microwaves or millimeter waves propagating in media containing these hydrometeors. At frequencies above about 5 GHz, rain, snow, or ice crystals in high altitudes cause various degrading effects on the performance of communication links. The attenuation of the transmitted signals is a well-known example of such effects. Because of the demand for more communication channels, operating frequencies of both terrestrial and earth--scace communication systems become increasingly higher, and the communication technology becomes more and more sophisticated with the use of digital techniques, or the use of both orthogonaly polarized channels. These have given rise to the need of acquiring more detailed knowledge of interactions between hydrometeors and waves than is necessary for the calculation of attenuation. To obtain such knowledge, we have to know the detailed microphysical properties of hydrometeors, such as shape, size distributions, or the motion of hydrometeors while they are falling. These properties, some obtained previously by meteorolgists and some obtaianed recently by radio engineers to meet the requirements of present radio problems, are reviewed first. Various methods of calculations, and the detailed knowledge obtained from calculations of the single scattering properties of hydrometeors, whose sizes are generally comparable to wavelength, are then reviewed. With the information of these scattering properties, various propagation phenomena are discussed from a theoretical point of view. Specific subjects treated include attenuation, cross polarization due to rain or ice crystals in high altitudes, the methods of depolarization cancellation, rain scattering other then forward and backward which is necessary in the estimation of rain scatter interference between two communication links operating at the same frequency, various multiple or incoherent scattering effects on copolar and cross-polar signals, pulse shape, channel transfer characteristics, etc. The aim of this review is to provide fundamental background informations on the interactions between hydrometeors and radio waves, and hence the more practical investigations, such as long-term statistics of attenuation, are beyond the scope of this review.

Electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering in rain and other hydrometeors

Microwave power transmission (MPT) is the wireless transfer of large amounts of power at microwave frequencies from one location to another. MPT research has been driven primarily by the desire to remotely power unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and by the concept of space solar power (SSP) first conceived by Dr. Peter Glaser of the Arthur D. Little Company in 1968. This paper attempts to reveal, in adequate chronological detail, many of the MPT milestones reached over the past 50 years, including those related to SSP. Key components to various MPT systems are presented as well as design schemes for achieving efficient MPT. Special focus is given to rectenna design since this particular MPT component has received the most attention from researchers over the last couple of decades.

Microwave Power Transmission: Historical Milestones and System Components

For the first time, the NOAA/Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) flew stepped frequency microwave radiometers (SFMRs) on both WP-3D research aircraft for operational hurricane surface wind speed measurement in 2005. An unprecedented number of major hurricanes provided ample data to evaluate both instrument performance and surface wind speed retrieval quality up to 70 m s−1 (Saffir–Simpson category 5). To this end, a new microwave emissivity–wind speed model function based on estimates of near-surface winds in hurricanes by global positioning system (GPS) dropwindsondes is proposed. For practical purposes, utilizing this function removes a previously documented high bias in moderate SFMR-measured wind speeds (10–50 m s−1), and additionally corrects an extreme wind speed (>60 m s−1) underestimate. The AOC operational SFMRs yield retrievals that are precise to within ∼2% at 30 m s−1, which is a factor of 2 improvement over the NOAA Hurricane Research Division’s SFMR, and comparable to the precision fou...

Hurricane Surface Wind Measurements from an Operational Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer

Because of its simplicity, the empirical relation A = aR^{b} between the specific attenuation A and the rainrate R is often used in the calculation of rain attenuation statistics. Values for the frequency-dependent parameters a and b are available, however, for only a limited number of frequencies. Some of these values, furthermore, were obtained experimentally, and may contain errors due to limitations in the experimental techniques employed. The aR^{b} relation is shown to be an approximation to a more general relation, except in the low-frequency and optical limits. Because the approximation is a good one, however, a comprehensive and self-consistent set of values for a and b is presented in both tabular and graphical form for the frequency range f = 1-1000 GHz. These values were computed by applying logarithmic regression to Mie scattering calculations. The dropsize distributions of Laws and Parsons, Marshall and Palmer, and Joss et al., were employed to provide calculations applicable to "widespread" and "convective" rain. Empirical equations for some of the curves of a(f) and b(f) are presented for use in systems studies requiring calculations at many frequencies. Some comparison is also made with experimental results, and suggestions are given regarding application of the various calculations.

R. Olsen

Papers

The aR b relation in the calculation of rain attenuation