Exploiting satellite Ka and Ku links for the real-time estimation of rain intensity

Abstract

In this paper we describe a statistical and a physically based approaches to retrieve 2D rainfall fields exploiting the attenuation measurements made along satellite links at K a and K u bands, in the framework of the research project NEFOCAST. The retrieval algorithms, the main results obtained so far, and the on going test campaign are presented and discussed.

Rainfall Estimation from Tropospheric Attenuation Affecting Satellite Links

“…The methodologies that are currently available to assess rainfall rate via satellite links are of limited accuracy and reliability and, in some cases, of complex implementation [8][9][10][11]: as a consequence, it becomes necessary to investigate alternative estimation methods, which only require few measurable physical parameters as input.…”

The nefocast project: A nowcasting weather platform based on dual-frequency interactive satellite terminals

“…The major scientific contribution is represented by a novel rain retrieval algorithm, which is able to fuse the measurements from a large number of dense weather sensors in both time (in the order of seconds and below) and space (in the order of few hundreds of meters) domains. For the prelimary outcomes of the NEFOCAST project, please see the companion paper [10], containing a first set of results of an inversion algorithm based on the received RF power from SmartLNBs already deployed on KaBIS.…”

On the Opportunistic use of Commercial Ku and Ka Band Satcom Networks for Rain Rate Estimation: Potentials and Critical Issues

“…In fact, a more abrupt drop of the received signal level implies a higher probability of correct detection of a rain event and less likely false alarms. Moreover, deeper rain fades make the measurement of the attenuation more reliable in the presence of typical systematic errors affecting satellite signal measurements (see [11]).…”