Meteorology Using microwaves links: A comparative study

Free-space losses between a system transmitter and a distant receiver of electromagnetic waves are the principal cause of signal loss. For frequencies higher than 10 GHz, losses due to the rain are the main additional cause of signal attenuation, after free space losses. Therefore, given this information, it is theoretically possible to estimate the rainfall. Thanks to the development of wireless networks, it is possible to use the measurements of the signal transmitted on fixed terrestrial microwave links of the backhaul part of such systems. For example between the network access point (BTS or NodeB) and their controller (BSC or RNC respectively), some microwaves links are deployed and can be used to make an estimation of space-time rainfalls intensities. The present paper describes some models that have been developed to estimate the rainfall using microwave links, then gives their relative performances and compares them to meteorological data. It is observed that the microwave-link methods present a very high correlation with direct rainfall measurements.