Revisiting the refractivity structure matching algorithm for improved EM propagation assessments

Summary form only given. Numerical weather prediction (NWP) models have improved much over the recent years and now offer higher spatial and temporal resolution forecasts for direct ingest into electromagnetic (EM) propagation models. However, the spatial resolution of most NWP models is typically larger than the desired spatial resolution required for today´s EM propagation models to accurately account for range-dependent atmospheric effects. A means to “bridge” this deficiency in adequately characterizing a range-dependent environment with non-optimum range sampling was addressed by the Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey (NRL-Mry) in 1991, with the development of the Refractivity Structure Matching Algorithm (RSMA) (G.N. Vogel, 1991, Naval Research Laboratory Tech. Note 191). The RSMA was developed in 1991 as a means to more rigorously determine the progression of refractive features with range between profiles along a specified bearing. For various reasons the RSMA has not been implemented operationally, however, this methodology is revisited to determine its suitability for adequately matching refractivity features obtained from in-situ measurements and NWP forecasts provided by the Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Model Prediction System (COAMPS) (http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/coamps-web/web/home). The in-situ meteorological measurements will be those taken during the Tropical Air-Sea Propagation Study (TAPS) in Dec 2013 (A. Kulessa, National Radio Sci. Meeting/URSI, 8-11 Jan 2014), along with concurrent RF propagation measurements. The analysis will also address the surface layer (evaporation duct) and how best to utilize the RSMA in combination with upper air and surface layer features.