Improvements of Scintillation Modelling from Radiosonde Observations in the Arctic Region

Satellite-to-ground communications at radio-frequencies above 10 GHz and low elevation angles suffer from increased scintillation. Hence, accurate modelling of this effect is required for the design and operation of those communication links. This work presents two new models for predicting the long-term scintillation standard deviation. They are based on radiosonde observations and vertical profiles of the refractive index structure parameter. Comparisons between the models and one year of scintillation measurements in Norway show good correlations and excellent agreement in terms of statistical distributions. They also enable physical insights about the seasonality observed in the measurements.