Tropospheric Propagation Effects Extracted From ADS‐B Messages

ABSTRACT Tropospheric propagation has long been recognized as a challenge in satellite communication and GNSS applications, particularly at low elevation angles where multipath, diffraction, and scintillation effects are more pronounced. In this study, the potential of Automatic Dependent Surveillance‐Broadcast (ADS‐B) messages—transmitted by aircraft at 1090 MHz—was explored as a means to monitor tropospheric propagation effects. Over 500,000 ADS‐B messages were collected under varying weather conditions using two ground‐based receivers. A custom methodology was developed to separate propagation‐related impairments from co‐channel interference. It was found that multipath affects signals below 10 degrees, diffraction below 1.1 degrees, and scintillation fading below 0.4 degrees elevation. Through this approach, continuous and low‐cost insights into the behavior of the lower atmosphere were enabled, offering potential benefits as a supplementary technique for GNSS error modeling and satellite‐based atmospheric sensing.