Analysis of radio link measurements from the TAPS2013 (tropical atmospheric propagation studies) distributed transmit-receive radio link network experiment

The reliable prediction of RF system performance depends on the morphology of the tropospheric environment. For instance, the performance of systems, operating at frequencies above 10 GHz, are particularly affected by hydrometeor scattering and molecular resonance processes occurring in the moist and unstable sea surface air. In addition, the turbulent transport processes occurring near the sea surface have a major influence in predicting communication and radar system performance. Evaporation ducts arise from such processes near the sea surface and therefore their characterization require humidity gradient measurements which are difficult to obtain at low heights. Successful implementations of Parabolic Equation Modelling (PEM) for predicting propagation rely on knowing the refractive index at very low heights.