JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATIONS, VOL. 4, NO. 8, SEPTEMBER 2009 533 Characterization of Fog and Snow Attenuations for Free-Space Optical Propagation Muhammad Saleem Awan*, Laszlo Csurgai Horwath†, Sajid Sheikh Muhammad**, Erich Leitgeb*, Farukh Nadeem*, Muhammad Saeed Khan* *Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria †Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary **National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NU), Lahore, Pakistan Email:
[email protected] Abstract— Free Space Optics (FSO) is now a well backbone and the end users. Recently FSO is identified as established access technology, better known for its an attractive alternative to complement microwave robustness in transmitting large data volumes in an energy (mmW) and radio frequency (RF) links within the access efficient manner. However the BER performance of a FSO network for the backhaul traffic [1, 2]. Although, FSO ground-link is adversely affected by cloud coverage, harsh communication links are best served for short distances weather conditions, and atmospheric turbulence. Fog, clouds but such links are successfully tested for relatively long and dry snow play a detrimental role by attenuating optical energy transmitted in terrestrial free-space and thus distance communication links (from medium to long decrease the link availability and reliability. We measured ranges) between e.g., optical ground stations OGS and the time variation of received optical signal level during terminals in space (un-manned aerial vehicles UAVs, high