Comprehensive Assessment of Tropospheric Effects over a Wide Range of Frequencies Transmitted from LEO Satellites

This paper provides a theoretical examination of tropospheric effects on signals at the L, S, C, X, and Ku bands across four distinct regions characterized by diverse climates. Specifically, we investigate Indonesia, situated near the equator and renowned for its exceptionally high rainfall; Norway, a polar region with markedly dry conditions; Boulder, Colorado, a mid-latitude area with a relatively arid climate; and Maui, Hawaii, a low-latitude locale known for its relatively wet climate. This paper summarizes an analysis of total delay and attenuation. The analysis includes (1) the variation in total delay with elevation angle, (2) effects of attenuation stemming from atmospheric phenomena such as rain, clouds, and gases, and (3) amplitude fading due to scintillation. The modeling shows that the effects increase with increasing frequency and decreasing elevation angle. Further, the assessment suggests that gaseous attenuation can be ignored for our frequencies of interest but that the other tropospheric effects must be accounted for.