Determination of Radio Refractivity Using Meteorological Data

Mindaugas ilinskas
Department of Radio Communication, Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania mzilinskas@rrt.lt

Stasys Tamoinas, Milda Tamoinait

Institute of Applied Research, Vilnius University Vilnius, Lithuania stasys.tamosiunas@ff.vu.lt milda.tamosiunaite@ff.stud.vu.lt

Milda Tamoinien
Semiconductor Physics Institute Vilnius, Lithuania milda@pfi.lt
AbstractSeasonal and daily variations of radio refractivity have been analyzed in the localities of Lithuania. The method proposed in the Recommendation of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has been used. The local meteorological data have been used in calculation of radio refractivity. The values of radio refractivity have been determined in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipda, and Maeikiai. The meteorological data collected in February, April, July and October have been used. The highest values of the radio refractivity have been observed in Klaipda in the year 2009. In July 2009, the values of the radio refractivity were highest in all localities investigated here and over all the time of the day. Keywords- electromagnetic wave; propagation; radio refractive index; atmospheric refractivity

index [4]. The climatic conditions are very changeable and unstable in Lithuania [5]. The territory of Lithuania belongs to the area where there is the excess of moisture. The relative humidity is about 70% in spring and in summer while in winter it is as high as 85 90% [6]. Lithuanian climate is also characterized by large temperature fluctuations. Difference between the warmest and coldest months the temperature is 21.8oC [5]. It was noted in [7], [8], that even small changes of temperature, humidity and partial water vapor pressure lead to changes in the atmospheric refractive index. Short time variation of the refractive index over line-ofsight paths of approximately 3 km in mountainous coastal waters using X band was presented in [4]. In [9], the measurements of these meteorological parameters were made in the different time of year and different time of the day. The values of the refractive index have been determined by using measured meteorological data. In [10], it was mentioned that seasonal variation of refractivity gradient could cause microwave systems unavailability. Having in mind the variable character of Lithuanian climatic conditions, the influence of the climatic peculiarities on the electromagnetic waves attenuation in the Baltic Sea region has been analyzed in [11] [12] where the electromagnetic waves attenuation due to the rain and attenuation due to the clouds have been analyzed. In this paper, our activities will be concentrated on the analysis of the seasonal and daily variations of the atmospheric radio refractivity at the Earths surface in Lithuania. II. CALCULATION OF RADIO REFRACTIVITY

I.

INTRODUCTION

In design of the radio communication networks, it is important to know the atmospheric radio refractive index (the ratio of the velocity of propagation of a radio wave in free space to the velocity in a specified medium [1]). The knowledge of refractive index is always required when measurements are made in air [2]. The path of a radio ray becomes curved when the radio wave propagates through the Earths atmosphere by reason of the variations in the atmospheric refractivity index along its trajectory [1], [3]. Refractivity of the atmosphere affects not only the curvature of the radio ray path but gives some insight into the fading phenomenon [1]. The anomalous electromagnetic wave propagation can be a problem for radars because the variation of the refractive index can induce loss of radar coverage [4]. In practice, the propagation conditions are more complicated in comparison with the conditions predictable in design of radio system in most cases. The meteorological conditions have a significant impact on radio wave propagation through atmosphere. The anomalous propagation is due to the variations of the humidity, temperature and pressure that cause variations in the refractive

A. The refractivity N The value of the radio refractive index n is very close to the unit and the changes in this value are very small in the time and in the space.

With the aim of making them more notable, the term of radio refractivity N is used [1], [13]:

N = ( n 1) 10 6 ,
According to the Recommendation of ITU [13]:

(1)

N=

77.6 e p + 4810 T T

(2)

where T (K) is a temperature; p (hPa) is the atmospheric pressure; e (hPa) is partial water vapor pressure. The refractivity is expressed in N units. It was mentioned in [1] and [13], that expression (2) may be used for all radio frequencies; for frequencies up to 100 GHz, the error is less than 0.5%. There are two terms (the dry term and the wet term) in relationship (2). At the Sea level, the average value of N 315 [1] is used. B. Calculation of the partial water vapor pressure e The relationship between the partial water vapor pressure e and the relative humidity H (%) is [1]:
Figure 1. Dependences of average value of N on the time of day in Vilnius.

e=
where

Hes 100
(3)

bt es = a exp t+c

(4)

with t temperature (C); es is a saturation vapor pressure (hPa) at t (C) temperature. The values of the coefficients a, b and c (for water and for ice) are presented in [1]. III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

until nine oclock in the afternoon in all localities investigated here excepting in Klaipda. In Klaipda, the diurnal variations of radio refractivity are not marked. The data presented in Figs.14 show that in February and in October, the diurnal variations of Nvalue are small in all localities. In Table I, maximum Nvalues and minimum ones, and the difference N between maximum Nvalues and minimum ones (yearly variation of Nvalue) are presented. It is seen, that the yearly maximum Nvalue N = 350.11 was in Klaipda and minimum one N = 296.65 was in Vilnius. The highest value of N was in Kaunas and the lowest one was in Klaipda. In Vilnius and Kaunas, maximum monthly variations of N were observed in April (see Table II). In Maeikiai and Klaipda, maximum monthly variations were observed in July.

The values of the refractivity N have been determined by using (2). The values of temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure were taken from http://rp5.ru/archive.php?wmo_. The partial water vapor pressure e was determined by using (3) and (4). The dependences of average value of N on the time of day in Vilnius, Maeikiai, Kaunas, and Klaipda in different months of the year 2009 are presented in Figs. 1 4. The behaviors of the dependences of refractivity N on the diurnal time are similar in all the localities (Vilnius, Kaunas, and Maeikiai) situated in the Continental Part of Lithuania and it are slightly different in Seacoast (in Klaipda). The difference in the climate of Continental and Sea coastal parts of territory of Lithuania was emphasized in [5] and [11]. The climate of Klaipda is specified as moderate warm climate. The climate of Continental Part of Lithuania is typical climate of the middle part of the East Europe. This may explain the difference between the daily variations of N in Klaipda and in other localities analyzed here. The highest values of N were in July in all the localities investigated here and over all the time of the day. The lowest values of N were in April in the noontime and in the afternoon

Figure 2. Dependences of average value of N on the time of day in Maeikiai.

TABLE II. THE DIFFERECE Nm BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM MONTHLY Nm VALUES IN YEAR 2009 Locality Vilnius Maeikiai Kaunas Klaipda Difference Nm, N-units
February April July October

1.98 1.12 2.31 1.24

13.07 6.59 14.99 2.33

12.58 15.74 14.38 7.91

2.90 2.35 3.38 2.17

TABLE III. THE AVERAGE NVALUES IN THE LOCALITIES OF LATVIA [10] Locality Liepaja Ventspils Riga Daugavpilis Figure 3. Dependences of average value of N on the time of day in Kaunas. Refractivity N, N-units
Febryary August

315 314 313 313

339 338 335 332

In July, the monthly variation of N in Maeikiai is twice as much than N variation in Klaipda. It was concluded in [10], that refractivity gradient variation has noticeable influence in coastal regions of Latvia during the summer time neither in winter. Such behavior of refractivity variation has been observed in the localities investigated here.

According to [10], the theoretical refraction coefficient for Latvian territory is ~310 N units (in February) and ~340 N units (in August). The following results were obtained by measuring practically in Latvia: ~313 N units in February and ~336N units in August as shown in Table III [9]. Liepaja and Ventspils are situated on Baltic Sea cost. Daugavpilis is situated in Continental part of Latvia. In Table IV, we present the values of the refractivity N at different time of the day averaged over the month in February 2009 in Klaipeda. It was concluded in [14] that during the warm season the radio refractivity gradient is more sensitive to moisture gradients than to temperature gradients. The meteorological data collected in the localities investigated here show, that the variation of the relative humidity is more noticeable in the warm seasons. The average daily N value N = 313.07 has been obtained in February 2009 in Klaipda and this value is near one measured in Sea coast of Latvia [10]. The data presented in [10] show that the N values are the highest in Seacoast in winter and they are lower in the Continental part of territory. The results obtained here, show that such peculiarity of behavior of Nvariation has been observed in Lithuanian territory: The highest Nvalues were observed in Klaipda in all seasons of the year 2009.

Figure 4. Dependences of average value of N on the time of day in Klaipda.

TABLE IV. THE REFRACTIVITY N IN KLAIPDA IN FEBRUARY 2009 Time of day 00:00 03:00 06:00 09:00 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00
Refractivity,

TABLE I. THE MAXIMUM YEARLY NVALUE, THE MINIMUM YEARLY

NVALUE, AND DIFFERECE N BETWEEN THESE VALUES IN YEAR 2009

Locality Vilnius Maeikiai Kaunas Klaipda

Refractivity, N-units
Maximum Nvalue Minimum Nvalue Difference N

338.49 345.98 344.35 350.11

296.65 303.49 299.58 312.61

41.84 42.49 44.77 37.50

N-units 312.97 313.22 312.56 313.50 313.11 312.61 312.74 313.85

CONCLUSIONS The average daily N value N = 313.07 has been obtained in February 2009 in Klaipda and this value is near one measured in Sea Coast of Latvia [10]. In February and in October, the daily variations of Nvalue are small in all localities. The yearly maximum Nvalue N = 350.11 was in Klaipda and minimum one N = 296.65 was in Vilnius in the year 2009. The highest value of N was in Kaunas and the lowest one was in Klaipda. The highest Nvalues were observed in Klaipda. It was estimated that the values of refractivity N were highest in July (in all localities investigated here) round the clock. REFERENCES
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