ATS-6 millimeter wavelength propagation experiment

The real time digital data acquisition system used to acquire ATS-6 propagation data at the fixed, transportable, and unmanned terminals is described. This system performs all digital conversion, formating, merging, and recording. All data from the remote sites are transferred to the fixed terminal for recording on a common digital tape. The current status and summary of operations are also reviewed

The OSU self-phased array for propagation measurements using the 11.7 GHz CTS beacon

A self phased array was developed for propagation measurements on an earth-space path. The 11.7 GHz CTS beacon was used as the signal source. The self phased array was used to measure angle of arrival as well as attenuation and scintillation statistics. The performance of the array is described, and sample data are presented. The tracking capability of the self phased array was also studied. This technique permits fully electronic, nonmechanical satellite tracking, thus simplifying unmanned operation and eliminating severe weather tracking constraints

Gain degradation and amplitude scintillation due to tropospheric turbulence

It is shown that a simple physical model is adequate for the prediction of the long term statistics of both the reduced signal levels and increased peak-to-peak fluctuations. The model is based on conventional atmospheric turbulence theory and incorporates both amplitude and angle of arrival fluctuations. This model predicts the average variance of signals observed under clear air conditions at low elevation angles on earth-space paths at 2, 7.3, 20 and 30 GHz. Design curves based on this model for gain degradation, realizable gain, amplitude fluctuation as a function of antenna aperture size, frequency, and either terrestrial path length or earth-space path elevation angle are presented

The optimization of self-phased arrays for diurnal motion tracking of synchronous satellites

The diurnal motion of a synchronous satellite necessitates mechanical tracking when a large aperture, high gain antenna is employed at the earth terminal. An alternative solution to this tracking problem is to use a self phased array consisting of a number of fixed pointed elements, each with moderate directivity. Non-mechanical tracking and adequate directive gain are achieved electronically by phase coherent summing of the element outputs. The element beamwidths provide overlapping area coverage of the satellite motion but introduce a diurnal variation into the array gain. The optimum element beamwidth and pointing direction of these elements can be obtained under the condition that the array gain is maximized simultaneously with the minimization of the diurnal variation

ATS-6 millimeter wavelength propagation experiment

An empirical relation for path diversity gain as a function of terminal separation distance and single site fade depth is presented. This relation is based on existing 15.3 GHz ATS-5 attenuation data and 16.0 GHz radiometric temperature data for earth-space propagation paths. Preliminary 30 GHz ATS-6 diversity data are presented and are found to agree well with this empirical relation

ATS-6 millimeter wavelength propagation experiment

The Ohio State University participation in the ATS-6 Millimeter Wavelength Propagation Experiment is summarized. Attenuation was measured simultaneously at 20 and 30 GHz on earth space propagation paths to two ground terminals located at Columbus, Ohio. In addition, 20 and 30 GHz radiometric temperatures were measured along the same propagation paths; and the 20 GHz radiometric temperature was also measured at a third ground terminal. The results of these measurements are presented, and diversity gains for the four pairs of propagation paths are discussed. The scintillation characteristics of the received signals are also presented

Amplitude scintillation at 2 and 30 GHz on earth space paths

Extensive amplitude scintillation measurements were made simultaneously at 2.075 and 30 GHz on earth-space propagation paths. These measurements were performed as the Applications Technology Satellite (ATS-6) was moved slowly from a synchronous position over India to a new synchronous position over the United States. The variance, path loss, covariance, and spectra are discussed as functions of the path elevation angle. These results are also compared with earlier simultaneous scintillation measurements at 20 and 30 GHz during the movement of ATS-6 to its position over India

A century of trends in adult human height

Being taller is associated with enhanced longevity, and higher education and earnings. We reanalysed 1472 population-based studies, with measurement of height on more than 18.6 million participants to estimate mean height for people born between 1896 and 1996 in 200 countries. The largest gain in adult height over the past century has occurred in South Korean women and Iranian men, who became 20.2 cm (95% credible interval 17.5-22.7) and 16.5 cm (13.3-19.7) taller, respectively. In contrast, there was little change in adult height in some sub-Saharan African countries and in South Asia over the century of analysis. The tallest people over these 100 years are men born in the Netherlands in the last quarter of 20th century, whose average heights surpassed 182.5 cm, and the shortest were women born in Guatemala in 1896 (140.3 cm; 135.8-144.8). The height differential between the tallest and shortest populations was 19-20 cm a century ago, and has remained the same for women and increased for men a century later despite substantial changes in the ranking of countries