Differential attenuation and depolarization measurements from a 19 GHz Comstar satellite beacon propagation experiment

In the experiment reported a 3.7 meter antenna and 19 GHz receiving system were used to receive the beacon from Comstar A at 128 deg west longitude. The satellite was observed at an elevation of 18.5 deg and an azimuth of 244.7 deg, taking into account conditions during the passage of the Hurricane Belle. The differential attenuation measurements conducted show a considerable difference between the earth-space path data and earlier terrestrial path data. This suggests a significant change in the oblateness or orientation of raindrops or in the path length and rain rate between the ground and elevated regions of a storm. Thus, rain-produced depolarization may also be less for earth-space paths than has been predicted from terrestrial data. Data taken during the passage of the hurricane show the many discrete rain cells embedded within the storm.