Effects on Microwave Signal Propagation Due to Layer Based Intensity Variation of Sand/Dust Storm

摘要

In Saudi Arabia, severe sand/dust storms can limit the quality of service (QoS) for broadband communication channels. Thus, modeling of Microwave attenuation in different height of sand/dust storms is essential to optimize the link budget of communication channels. Although several models exist to predict the electromagnetic (EM) scattering in sand-dust storms, they are mostly dependent on visibility measurements at the epicenter of the storm. In addition to this inconvenient task, these models do not include multiple scattering effects from suspended sand and dust particles. In this research work, guided and non-guided experimental methods are used to investigate the degradation of Microwave signal propagating through an air-sand and airdust media. The process is started by collecting multiple dust/sand (with diameter of particles =90 microm, 125 microm, and 150 microm) samples through sieve analysis. A test box fabricated with an air valve that allows the flow of pressurized air with negligible sanddust leakage. This process is used to create a sand or dust storm like media within the box. Horn antennas that are optimally integrated on both ends, measure the magnitude and phase of the S-parameter responses. The measured responses (S21) are used to validate a simulated model of a similar setup. The software model is used to analyze the influence of sand-dust media parameters, such as particle-size, shape, concentration, polarization and effective permittivity, on the propagating X-band signal. The analyzed data show that the model could be proven useful in predicting signal attenuation considering the effectsof different parameters related to Sandy/Dusty weather. Finally the simulated results are linked to the experimentally observed measurements by calculating attenuation due to presence of sand for a 1 m link and compared with values obtained from literature.