Comprehensive Assessment of Tropospheric Effects at a Wide Range of Frequencies Transmitted from LEO Satellites

This paper provides a theoretical examination of tropospheric effects on signals at L, S, C, X, and Ku bands across four distinct regions characterized by diverse climates. Specifically, we investigate Indonesia, situated near the equator and renowned for its exceptionally high rainfall; Norway, representing a polar region with markedly dry conditions; Boulder, a mid-latitude area with relatively arid climate; and Maui, a low-latitude locale known for its relatively wet climate. This paper will summarize the analysis of total delay and attenuation. The analysis includes: (1) Variation of total delay with elevation angles; (2) Effects of attenuation stemming from atmospheric phenomena such as rain, clouds, and gases; (3) Amplitude fading due to scintillation. The modeling shows that the effects increase with frequency and decreasing elevation angles. Further, the assessment suggests that the gaseous attenuation can be ignored for our frequencies of interest, but the other tropospheric effects need to be accounted for.