A practical atmospheric Millimeter‐Wave Propagation Model (MPM) is formulated that predicts attenuation, delay, and noise properties of moist air for frequencies up to 1000 GHz. Input variables are height distributions (0–30 km) of pressure, temperature, humidity, and suspended droplet concentration along an anticipated radio path. Spectroscopic data consist of more than 450 parameters describing local O2 and H2O absorption lines complemented by continuum spectra for dry air, water vapor, and hydrosols. For a model (MPM*) limited to frequencies below 300 GHz, the number of spectroscopic parameters can be reduced to less than 200. Recent laboratory measurements by us at 138 GHz of absolute attenuation rates for simulated air with water vapor pressures up to saturation allow the formulation of an improved, though empirical water vapor continuum. Model predictions are compared with selected (2.5–430 GHz) data from both laboratory and field experiments. In general, good agreement is obtained.
Radio Science carries original scientific contributions on all aspects of electromagnetic phenomena related to physical problems. These contributions can include propagation through and interaction of electromagnetic waves with geophysical media, biological media, plasmas, and man-made structures. Coverage includes, but is not limited to, the application of electromagnetic techniques to remote sensing of the Earth and its environment, telecommunications, signals and systems, the ionosphere, and radio astronomy. All frequencies (including optical) are considered.
