Signal Fading in Satellite-to-Earth Channels

Based on the analysis of fluctuations in atmospheric parameters, a mathematical description of signal fading in satellite-to-Earth radio channels has been developed. The fading of the received signals, which are locally stationary at time intervals of up to 3 minutes, is proposed to be described by a four-parameter law of probability distribution. By rotating the coordinates, the law was modified to a three-parameter one, which made it possible to find the dependence of its parameters on the measured ratio of the average powers of the regular and fluctuating signal components. Experimentally, using two agreement criteria, the validity of describing fading in the satellite - Earth channel by a four-parameter law of probability distribution was confirmed.