The attenuation of 13 Ghz signals due to tropical precipitations

Data are analyzed from a study of the relationship between rain intensity and the attenuation of 13 GHz radio signals during the COPT 81 experiment. The trials were carried out for the two months of the monsoon season on the Ivory Coast. The attenuation in the horizontal and vertical polarization was measured over a 19.2 km propagation path, with pluviometers placed along the propagation path to quantify the rain intensity with an accuracy of 2 min. A linear relationship was established between the amount of rain and the attenuation of the signal, and an equiprobability technique was successfully applied to predicting the attenuation once the rainfall rate was known.