First Principle Scintillation Characterization of Natural and Artificial Disturbances on V/W Band Signals in the Ionosphere Using the Multiple Phase Screen Technique

The V/W frequency band (75GHz to 110 GHz) is in current interest for application to modern 5G networks that rely on the SATCOM infrastructure to support long range mobile communications. The environmental effects on a V/W band signal in this frequency range must be analyzed to establish an expectation in regards to signal quality and sustainability. In particular Ionospheric disturbances caused by geomagnetic storms and High Altitude Nuclear Explosions (HANES) is the primary focus of this paper. The results demonstrate that the V/W bands are generally sustainable in geomagnetic storms. The scintillation index has an order of magnitude of 10-3 for each frequency tested in a Multiple Phase Screen (MPS) model. The HANE experiment conducted with a computational plasma physics model demonstrates significant signal disturbances in the initia145 seconds of the blast as the burst occurs in direct line-of-sight to the transmitter. The signal recovery depends greatly on the Ionosphere’s ability to return to a steady state after the occurrence of a HANE.