Customized microwave attenuation statistics from dual polarization weather radar data

In the past, data from dual-pol weather radars have sporadically been used to derive attenuation statistics for slant path satellite links. For future activities also statistics for non-geostationary orbits seem interesting. This paper investigates the significance of such radar derived statistics. It uses raw-data from an operational dual-pol C-band weather radar to compute the attenuation in earth-space satellite links. As examples, monthly attenuation statistics for a Ka/Q band geostationary satellite are derived and the attenuation time series of the pass of a MEO communication satellite is shown.