ISSN: 2716-3865 (Print), 2721-1290 (Online)
Copyright © 2022, Journal La Multiapp, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0
118
JOURNAL LA MULTIAPP
VOL. 03, ISSUE 03 (118-130), 2022
DOI: 10.37899/journallamultiapp.v3i3.671
Prediction of Gaseous Attenuation of Satellite Signal in Nigeria
Moses Oluwamuyiwa Olla
1
, Akinsanmi Olaitan
1
, Oluwafemi Ilesanmi Banjo
2
, Oluwole Sunday
Ayodele
1
1
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Federal
University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
2
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ekiti
State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author: Moses Oluwamuyiwa Olla
Article Info
Article history:
Received 15 May 2022
Received in revised form 16
June 2022
Accepted 18 June 2022
Keywords:
Geostationary
Radiosonde
Troposphere
Meteorological
Attenuation
Abstract
It would be noticed that the rate at which people are demanding for
satellite services has drastically increased due to increment in
population. However, one of the apprehensions of satellite
telecommunication engineer is the effects imposed on the earth-to space
path link by gaseous attenuation. The research conducted in this paper
bordered about investigation with comparison of prediction models for
gas attenuation in the six locations in Nigeria, with each of the location
taken from six geopolitical within the country. The cities considered for
the analysis are: Kaduna (10.31
0
, 7.26
0
), Lagos (6.45
0
, 3.38
0
),
Abuja (9.07
0
, 7.39
0
), Portharcort (4.81
0
, 7.0498
0
), Enugu
(10.5
0
, 5.76
0
) and Bauchi (10.30
0
, 10.00
0
). Five-year radiosonde
data were used in predicting gas attenuation in the cities selected which
represent the geographical characteristics of each zone. Monthly
variation of tropospheric components for each zone were computed.
Influence of gas attenuation at different frequency bands for each zone
were analysed. The results indicated that at clear-sky scenario, gas
attenuation effects are still seen on satellite communication. Therefore,
this research work would provide the needed statistical data of gas
attenuation which would be of tremendous advantage for the link
designers for their subsequent planning and design of good
telecommunication systems in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Introduction
Electromagnetic signals propagated in the atmosphere will experience a degradation
(attenuation) because troposphere constituents present in the selected channel (air). The effects
on the propagated signal could be minor or severe, depending on the following factors, viz:
frequency of operation, temperature of the atmosphere, pressure values and water vapor
concentration (Ippolito & Ippolito, 2017). Reduction of signal amplitude (attenuation) is
basically caused through the several atmospheric disruptions such as rain, ice, snowflakes, fog,
cloud, hail, atmospheric gases, among others (Crane, 2003; Hall, 1996). Among these
disruptions, established fact reveals rain as the basic constituent for attenuation, while the
others that may be regarded as additional factor leading to absorption, scattering and heating
on the radio wave (Adimula, 1997), It is observed that, signal absorption occurs at quantum
level shift in the rotational energy of the molecule, moreover, the occurrence takes place at a
specific resonant frequency or at narrow band frequencies (Ippolito & Ippolito, 2017).
Signal attenuation parameters are to be critically examined under chosen weather condition.
Among the atmospheric components with their respective percentages are highlighted as thus:
Oxygen taking 21 %, nitrogen with 78 %, argon having 0.9 %, carbon dioxide with 0.1 % and