Propagation

Mechanism

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Propagation Mechanism
Simplest propagation channel is the free space:
Tx free space Rx

In a more realistic scenario, there may be dielectric and conducting obstacles (Interacting
Objects, IOs) in the medium.

If the IOs have a smooth surface waves are reflected and part of the energy is absorbed by
the IO and part of the energy penetrates the IO (transmission).
If the IOs have a rough surface waves are diffusely scattered.
Waves can also be diffracted at the edges of the IOs.

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Reflection and Transmission Snells Law
Homogeneous plane wave incident on to a dielectric halfspace.
Isotropic material
relative permeability r=1.
Complex dielectric constant, : conductivity

carrier frequency

Lossy medium

Angle between the plane wave and the halfspace is e

Reflection angle:

Transmission angle:

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Snells Law
If the magnetic field component is paralel with the boundary TM (Transversal Magnetic) case
If the electric field component is paralel with the boundary TE (Transversal Electric) case

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 Reflection and Transmission
Reflection and transmission coefficients for:
TE waves:

TM waves:

Brewster Angle: angle at which no reflection

occurs in the medium of origin which only
occurs for vertical polarization.
For air-water interface, the Brewster angle
is 53o for light.

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Transmission through a Wall (Layered structures)
By summing the partial waves, we can calculate:
Total transmission coefficient:
Electrical length of the wall

Total reflection coefficient:

T1, T2, 1 and 2: transmission and reflection coef.s of the boundaries.

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Transmission through a Wall
Example: Find T and for a 50-cm-thick brick wall at 4-GHz carrier freq. for perpendicularly
incident waves.
r = t = 0, f = 4 GHz ( = 7.5 cm), relative permittivity r = 4.44, conductivity =0.

air-brick interface electrical length of the wall

Total transmission and reflection coef.s

brick-air interface

(Verify that |T|2+||2=1?)

(Verify that 1+ =T (for TE), TM?)
>1 ?
T gives the amplitude ratio of the fields only. (Power transmitted to the other side?)
>1 does not violate conservation of energy.

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The d-4 Power Law
A direct path (Line-of-sight, LOS) and a ground reflection
path is present.
An interference pattern takes form at the receiver:
depending on distance two waves may add constructively or
destructively (up to ~ 90 m)

For distances greater than

received power becomes:

10 10 10 10 10
loss: d-n (n = 4 for this example)
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 The d-4 Power Law
A very simplified scenario, generally does not fit to practice.
1. Figure shows a decay of d-2 before dbreak and d-4 after dbreak,
2. In practice, transition never occurs that sharp at dbreak,
3. n = 4 is not a universal decay exponent, 1.5 < n < 5.5 is possible.
(n = 4 can at best be a mean value for n)
4. In practice, there is a second break point beyond with n > 6, due
to the curvature of the earth (LOS is not possible for d>25km).

10 10 10 10 10

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Diffraction Single Screen or Wedge
Screen prevents waves passing to the rhs.
There is still spherical waves in the shadow zone
Instead of paralel waves, think about point sources lined up
(Huygens principle).
Screen obstruct part of these sources, but the remaining continue
to radiate.

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 Diffraction Single Screen or Wedge (Knife-edge)
Screen in the middle of height hs.
Calculate diffraction coefficient.

From the geometry, Fresnel parameter is calculated:

Then, Fresnel integral:

(calculated numerically!)
Then, the total field at the receiver:

field strength when

there is no screen.

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Diffraction Single Screen or Wedge (Knife-edge)
Diffraction loss due to a knife-edge:

(Think about the relation bw. the graph and Fresnel zones (slide 14).

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Diffraction Single Screen or Wedge (Knife-edge)
Example: Compute the diffraction coef. if dTX = 200 m, dRX = 50 m, hTX = 20 m, hRX = 1.5 m, hs = 40 m,
fc = 900 MHz.

How much power loss in dB? (-34dB)

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 Fresnel Zones
The impact of an obstacle can be assessed qualitatively by the
concept of Fresnel Zones.
Concentric ellipsoids
foci: TX and RX
for an ellipsoid: distance TXellipsoidRX is the same for all
points on it.
Ellipsoids with TXellipsoidRX run length greater than
LOS by integer multiple of /2 are called Fresnel ellipsoids.
/2 phase shift between each neighbouring ellipsoid is rad.
ith Fresnel ellipsoid results in a phase shift of i rad.
In general, if an obstruction does not block the volume
contained within the first Fresnel zone, then the diffraction loss
may be neglected.
Rule of thumb (for microwave links): as long as 55% of the first
Fresnel zone is kept clear, then further Fresnel zone clearance
does not significantly alter the diffraction loss.
Otherwise, use the calculations at the previous slides.

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Diffraction by Multiple Screens
What happens if there are two or more obstacles causing
diffraction?
Mathematically difficult problem. There are many models in
the literature.

Epstein-Petersen method
For each screen, calculate the diffraction loss seperately:
Place a virtual TX and RX on the tips of the screens to the left
and right of the considered screen.
Calculate the diff. loss due to a single screen
Add (?) all losses together.

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Diffraction by Multiple Screens
Deygouts method:
Determine the attenuation bw. TX and RX if only the ith screen is present (for all i)
Screen with max. attenuation main screen, call it ims

Compute the attenuation bw. Tx and the tip of the main screen caused by the jth screen (1 j < ims)
Do the same bw. the main screen and the RX (ims < j (no. screens))
Add up (?) the losses from all considered screens.

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 Diffraction by Multiple Screens (Deygouts method)
Example: 3 screens 20 m apart from each other, and 30, 40 and 25 m high.
TX 1st screen: 30m, last screen RX: 100 m. hTX = 1.5m, hRX = 30m. Calculate attenuation @ 900 MHz by Deygouts method.

i. Attenuation due to Screen 1:

ii. Repeat for all screens: main screen: Screen 2

iii. Calculate the loss bw. Tx and a virtual RX at the top of Screen 1

iv. Do the same for Screen 3

v. Add them up:

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 Scattering
A wavefront imping on a smooth surface is reflected.
A wavefront imping on a rough surface is scattered.
Height variability is taken as random and is assumed to be
smaller than wavelength of the wave.

Kirchoff Theory
pdf of the surface amplitude (height) is assumed to be Gaussian.
Different scattering points do not influence each other, i.e. they
do not cast shadow onto each other. Rayleigh roughness

effective reflection angle of incidence

coef. of rough surface
reflection coef. of
standard deviation of
smooth surface
surface height profile

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Waveguiding
Street canyons, corridors and tunnels due to large buildings.
Results in lower propagation exponents d-n

(How come n can be < 2?)

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Effect of rain and vegetation
Attenuation due to rain
Presence of raindrops can severely degrade the link perfoamcen
Attenuation depends on drop shape/size, rain rage and TX freq.
Estimated rain attenuation:

attenuation (dB/km)
rain rate (mm/hr)

a, b: depends on drop size and freq.

Plants (trees) may cause diffraction and scattering,

depends on the speed of wind.

Trees cause considerable attenuation when fall into the first Fresnel zone.

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