Long-Term Average of Effective Earth Radius Factor Over West Africa Using Satellite Meteorological Dataset

O. O Ajileye

For microwave link design, a parameter such as the Equivalent Earth Radius factor, (k-factor) must be set carefully to optimize its linkage and performance. It is therefore important to evaluate clearances from path obstructions over a wide range of k-factor in order to determine whether adequate path clearances are maintained under various degrees of refraction. Raw point datasets for 22 years (1983 – 2005) including air temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure at 2 m and 10 m, averaged daily were extracted from National Aeronautic Space Administration meteorological databank through Notepad basic text editor using text import wizard to delimit the general data format into numeric values and number. Monthly and annual averages of equivalent earth radius factor (k-factor) were estimated for different climatic zones over West African continental areas. Results from satellite dataset were compared with results from in-situ measurem-ents and the reliability of satellite dataset in the estimation of k-factor that are close to actual values was validated. Climatic zone 2 had average k-factor of 1.45 and 1.51 in satellite and ground stations respectively. Zone 3 had 1.37 and 1.42 in satellite and ground dataset while zone 4 had 1.31 and 1.34 in satellite and ground dataset

Select Volume / Issues:

• Volume 6 Issue 2, Mar. 2015

Year:

2015

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Climatic Zones; Equivalent Earth Radius Factor; Satellite Meteorological Dataset; West Africa

Journal:

IJECCE

Volume:

6

Number:

2

Pages:

175-179

Month:

March

ISSN:

2249-071X