Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Nonlinear Satellite Links-A Volterra Series Approach

An analytical solution to the problem of modeling bandpass nonlinear channels and evaluating the performance of digital communication systems operating on them is presented. A method based on a Volterra series representation of the overall channel is first proposed, which allows one to extend to nonlinearities with memory the well-known concepts of complex envelope of bandpass signals and low-pass equivalent of bandpass linear systems. The general results previously mentioned are then applied to digital satellite communication systems operating over nonlinear channels. The effect of a nonlinear amplifier located in the satellite is considered, in combination with that of transmitting and receiving filters located in the Earth stations. In addition, both uplink and downlink noise are taken into account. Basic advantages of this approach are the generality it offers to the analysis and the fact that it allows accurate evaluation of the error probability in a short computer time.