Statistical Methods in Radio Wave Propagation

Statistical Methods in Radio Wave Propagation contains the proceedings of a symposium held at the University of California, Los Angeles, on June 18-20, 1958. The papers explore the use of statistical techniques in the analysis and interpretation of data pertaining to the propagation of radio waves. The discussion is organized around three themes: statistical theory and methodology; radio propagation phenomena having a joint statistical and physical structure; and instrumentation. This book is comprised of 23 chapters and begins by summarizing the principal results of a series of statistical studies on the intensity distributions due to rapid fading. The reader is then introduced to some theoretical investigations on fading phenomena; radio-measurement of ionospheric drift as a problem in parameter estimation; the propagation of random radiation in free space; and the statistics of working spells and periods of breakdown for a number of radio links in series. The remaining chapters deal with airborne measurements of tropospheric index of refraction fluctuations; the distribution of the fade lengths of a randomly fading radio signal; diversity statistics in scatter propagation; and extrapolation of spatial correlation functions. The final chapter describes a rapid statistical data processing system for radio propagation research. This monograph will be a useful resource for both radio scientists and statisticians.

Preface

Section I. Statistical Theory and Methodology

The m-Distribution—A General Formula of Intensity Distribution of Rapid Fading

Some Theoretical Investigations on Fading Phenomena

Radio-Measurement of Ionospheric Drift as a Problem in Parameter Estimation

A Study of Sea Clutter Spectra

On the Propagation of Random Radiation in Free Space

The Multidimensional Prediction Problem

The Components of Power Appearing in the Harmonic Analysis of a Stationary Process

Some Statistical Methods of Potential Value in Radio Wave Propagation Investigations

A Theoretical Study of the Statistics of Working Spells and Periods of Breakdown for a Number of Radio Links in Series

Use of the Tetrachoric Cross-Correlation in Hypotheses Concerning Auto-Correlated Fading Signals

Section II. Radio Propagation Phenomenology

Antenna Tolerance Theory

Modification of a Ray-Tracer for Monte Carlo Prediction of Multiple-Scattered Radio Fields

An Analysis of Airborne Measurements of Tropospheric Index of Refraction Fluctuations

Transhorizon Measurement Techniques

The Distribution of the Fade Lengths of a Randomly Fading Radio Signal

The Lognormal Distribution and its Applications to Atmospheric Studies

Measured Distributions of the Instantaneous Envelope Amplitude and Instantaneous Frequency of Carriers Plus Thermal and Atmospheric Noise

The Error in Prediction of F2 Maximum Usable Frequencies by World Maps Based on Sunspot Number

Clarification of Diversity Statistics in Scatter Propagation

The Extrapolation of Spatial Correlation Functions

Etude d'une Méthode d'Analyse Statistique de Données Expérimentales en Propagation Troposphérique

Section III. Instrumentation for Processing Radio Propagation Data

Statistical Analysis Equipment for Propagation Research

A Rapid Statistical Data Processing System for Radio Propagation Research