Some melting layer characteristics at two tropical locations in Indian region

Hydrometeors pose a serious threat to satellite communication operating above 10 GHz. The designing line of sight link usually is based on the ITU-R models, which are often inadequate for tropical region. ITU-R model uses a yearly averaged constant rain height for the attenuation calculation, which may not be valid for tropics. This paper reports the study of rain height based on Micro Rain Radar and Radiosonde observations at two tropical locations in Indian region. Results suggest a possible modification in the rain attenuation model taking into account the melting layer height variation with the season and rain rate.