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ECEN 5264

ECEN 5264 - Propagation Effects on Satellite and Deep-Space Telecommunications

3 credit hours

Catalog Description: Role of propagation effects in the design of earth-space telecommunication systems. Effects dependent upon total electron content (TEC) along path, including Faraday rotation and range delay. Ionospheric and inter-planetary scintillation. Tropospheric clear-air effects, including refraction, ducting, and range delay. Absorption, scatter and cross polarization due to precipitation and clouds. Effects of terrain and multi-path propagation on mobile satellite operations. Radio noise of atmospheric, terrestrial, and extraterrestrial origin. Propagation effects on interference. Telecommunication and radio science for deep-space missions.

Prerequisite: ECEN 3410, Electromagnetic Waves and Transmission

Textbook: Propagation Effects on Satellite Systems for Frequencies below 10 GHz, NASA Ref. Publ. 1108(2), W.L. Flock; Earth-Satellite Propagation, J.E. Alnutt.

Goals: To develop an understanding of the basic physical processes involved in earth-space propagation and to introduce students to theresearch and development taking place and the literature being produced in the field, particularly in applied propagation aspects.

Topics:

  1. Telecommunication link power budgets
  2. Ionospheric effects proportional to total electron content (range delay, Faraday rotation, etc.) and ionospheric scintillation.
  3. Tropospheric clear-air effects: refraction, fading and scintillation excess range delay due to dry air and water vapor, gaseous absorption.
  4. Attenation, cross polarization, scatter, and noise due to rain at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies.
  5. Effects of small particles and biological matter (clouds and vegetation)
  6. Multipath effects on satellite land-, sea-, and aeronautical-mobile systems. Antimultipath techniques, spread-spectrum systems, and the GPS (global positioning system)
  7. Radio noise: system noise temperature, noise of atmospheric origin, extraterrestrial noise.
  8. Propagation effects on interference, coordination area.
  9. Space-communications systems design.
  10. Radio science and telecommunications for deep-space missions.
Computer Usage:
Laboratory Projects:
  1. None
ABET Category Content:
  • Engineering Science: 1.5 credits or 50%
  • Engineering Design: 1.5 credits or 50%