Physical Methods for the Separation of the Contributions to the Earth-Space Cross-Polarization Discrimination Using Single-Polarized Satellite Beacon Signals

The satellite communication systems employing either frequency-reuse schemes and/or polarization diversity to improve spectral efficiency are compromised by depolarization-induced interference due to both rain droplets and aloft ice particles. Any development toward an integrated physical model for depolarization will necessarily require the separation of its different contributions. This task was done in the past using dual-polarized satellite beacon signals that have not been available recently. On the other hand, single-polarized satellite beacon signals are worldwide accessible; therefore, the use of alternative techniques to assess the propagation channel properties is mandatory to unlock the advance of the depolarization studies. Two physical methods able to retrieve ice and rain contributions to total depolarization from single-polarized satellite beacon signals are here described, applied and validated on one full year of measurements carried out at Ka-band.