Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST) ISSN: 2458-9403 Vol. 6 Issue 9, September - 2019 Development Of Epstein-Peterson Method- Based Approach For Computing Multiple Knife Edgediffraction Loss As A Function Of Refractivity Gradient Akaninyene B. Obot1 Ukpong,Victor Joseph2 Department of Electrical/Electronic and Computer Department of Electrical/Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Uyo, AkwaIbom, Nigeria Engineering, University of Uyo, AkwaIbom, Nigeria Kalu Constance3 Department of Electrical/Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Uyo, AkwaIbom, Nigeria [email protected] Abstract— In this paper, the development of I. INTRODUCTION Epstein-Peterson method-based approach for Radio wave propagation over irregular computing multiple knife edge diffraction loss as a function of refractivity gradient. Specifically, the terrain consisting of mountain, buildings, hills study utilized Epstein Peterson diffraction loss and even trees and other high rising methodology alongside the International obstructions is of great concern to Telecommunication Union (ITU) knife edge communication network designers [1,2,3,4]. approximation model to compute multiple knife When a wireless signal is propagated over a edge diffraction loss as a function of refractivity gradient. Analytical expression for the long distance, the signal may get distorted and determination of obstacles height, the earth bulge attenuated due to obstacles along its path. This and the effective obstruction height were modeled causes the signal to be reflected, absorbed in terms of the refractivity gradient (∆). A case scattered or diffracted. Diffraction occurs when study of 10 knife edge obstructions located in a a wireless signal encounter obstacles in its path communication link with a path length of 36km was used as a numerical example to demonstrate [6,7,8,9,10]. The diffracted signal experiences the application of the procedure presented in this reduction in its signal strength which is referred paper. The results showed that the maximum line to diffraction loss. In the determination of of sight (LOS) clearance height was 5.73 m and it diffraction loss, obstacles or obstructions are occurred at a distance of 21 km from the modeled as knife edges [11,12,14,15,16]. When transmitter; the minimum LOS clearance height was 0.4 m and it occurred at a distance of 33 km the obstruction is more than two, it is described from the transmitter. On the other hand, the as multiple knife edge obstructions. maximum diffraction parameter was 0.33and it Meanwhile, the atmosphere over the earth occurred at a distance of 1 km from the is a dynamic medium; its properties vary with transmitter. In addition, the minimum diffraction temperature, pressure and humility. These parameter was 0.02981424 and it occurred at a distance of 33 km from the transmitter. In all, for variables are related to the radio refractivity the case study multiple knife edge obstructions, gradient N. The refractivity gradient is defined the total diffraction loss in the communication link in terms of the index of refraction ‘n’ by N=n -1 was78.53 dB. The idea presented in this paper is where n is the index of refraction [18]. very relevant for the study of the effect of changes Mathematically, refractivity gradient is defined in refractivity gradient on multiple knife edge diffraction loss computed according using the as shown in Equation 1; 77.6 푒 Epstein-Peterson method. N= (n-1)= (푃 + 4810 ) (1) 푇 푇 Keywords— Diffraction, Diffraction loss, Earth Where T= absolute temperature bulge, multiple knife edge, Refractivity gradient, (K),P=atmospheric pressure (hpa) ,e = water Epstein-Peterson method vapour pressure. Usually, in a communication network, the earth is curved between the transmitter and the receiver. The curvature of the www.jmest.org JMESTN42353171 10962 Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST) ISSN: 2458-9403 Vol. 6 Issue 9, September - 2019 earth surface which limits the range of II. REVIEW OF RELATED WORKS communication that requires line of sight is term Adams [21] presented an algorithm on the earth bulge. Variation in refractivity gradient remodeling and parametric analysis of multiple changes the earth bulge. This change in earth knife edge diffraction loss. The study used the bulge varies the height of obstructions as seen by three knife edge obstrctions in Figure 1 in the the signal. Diffraction loss is proportional to the development and application of n-knife edge height of obstructions. Therefore, changes in the diffraction loss computation based on Epstein- atmospheric refractivity gradient affects the Peterson and Shibuya method alongside ITU earth bulge which in turn affect the obstruction knife edge approximation models. In most height and then the overall diffraction loss that cases, the analysis of multiple knife edge can result from the multiple knife edge diffraction loss is limited to a maximum of three obstruction. This paper presents an approach to obstructions because of the complexity of the determine the multiple knife edge diffraction analysis [22,23,24]. In the work by Adams [21], loss as a fuction of the refractivity gradient. The the approach for the determination of the work is based on the Epstein-Peterson multiple multiple knife edge diffraction loss for any knife edge diffraction loss method. number of obstructionswas developed. Figure 1: None line-of sight link with three knife edge obstructions causes diffraction. In Figure 1, there are three Similar to the three knife edge obstrctions in virtual hops, namely ; Figure 1, in the N multiple knife edge i. Hop1 : H0 -H1 -H2 with H1 -H2 as the computations, there are N knife edge diffraction edge obstructions and the distance from the knife edge ii. Hop2 : H - H - H with H as the obstruction n-1 to obstruction n be denoted as 1 2 3 2 diffraction edge dn where n = 1,2,3 ,…N . Then, if the knife iii. Hop3 : H2 -H3 -H4 with H3 as the edge obstruction is located at a distance of dt(n) diffraction edge from the transmiter, then dn = 푑푡(푛) − 푑푡(푛−1) n= 1,2,3,…N Consider hop 1 in Figure 1, the clearance height , (2) h1 is given in Equation 3, Based on the N multiple knife edge description, h1 = H1 − H1 (3) Adams [1] presented a procedure for Where H1´ is the hop 1 line of sight (H0 To H2) computaing N multiple knife edge diffraction loss height at a distance of d1 from H0. H1is given using the Epstein-Peterson method. This method by similar traingle as shown in Equation 4 and 5, H′ ´−H H −H formed the basis for the study in this paper and its 1 0 = 2 0 (4) key idea are prsented in this section. d1 d1+d2 d1(H2−H0) In the communication link of Figure 1, H′1 = + H0 (5) d1+d2 each of the obstruction that blocks the line of Hence, the clearance height is given in Equation sight constitutes an edge that will cause 6, diffraction loss and also introduces a virtual hop d1(H2−H0) h1 = H1 − H0 − ( ) (6) in the link. Each virtual hop has an edge that d1+d2 www.jmest.org JMESTN42353171 10963 Journal of Multidisciplinary Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST) ISSN: 2458-9403 Vol. 6 Issue 9, September - 2019 Similarly, for hop2, the clearance height is given Where P =atmospheric pressure (hpa), e = water in Equation 7, vapour pressure (hpa) and T = absolute temperature in Kelvin. Water vapour pressure is d (H −H ) h = H − H − ( 2 3 1 ) (7) evaluated using Equation 13, 2 2 1 17.502푡 d2+d3 6.1121 푒푥푝( ) Generally, for any given hop j, the clearance 푒 = 퐻 × 푡+240.97 (13) 100 height to its LOS is given as h푗 shwon in Where H = relative humility (%), t = temperature Equation 8 where; in Celsius. From the refractivity, its refractivity d푗(H푗+1 −H푗−1) h푗 = h퐸푝푠푡푒푖푛(푗) = H푗 − H푗−1 − ( ) (8) gradient was the computed. From the given d푗+d푗+1 parameters, the vertical distributions of the radio The knife-edge diffraction parameter for any hop refractivity was then determined. j is given as vj in Equation 9 where; 2(d푗+d푗+1) v푗 = h퐸푝푠푡푒푖푛(푗)√ (9) III. METHODOLOGY 휆(d푗)(d푗+1) In this paper, an approach to determine According to ITU (Rec 526-13, 2011) [25] the the multiple knife edge diffraction loss as a knife-edge diffraction loss, A for any given fuction of the refractivity gradient based on the diffraction parameter, v is given in Equation 10, Epstein-Peterson method along with ITU knife A = 6.9 + 20Log ((√(푣 − 0.1)2 + 1) + 푣 − 0.1) (10) edge approximation model is presented. First, where A is in dB analytical expressions for the determination of the Then, in respect of knife-edge diffraction loss for obstacle height using Fresnel path profile any hop j with diffraction parameter,vj, the knife- geometry are presented. The earth buldge and effective height of obstruction are then modeled edge diffraction loss is denoted as Aj , where ITU approximation model for A is given as in terms of refractivity gradient. Then, for a j reference refractivity gradient, 훥 = 4/3 , the shown in Equation 11, 표 multple knife edge diffraction geometry and n- 2 Aj = 6.9 + 20Log ((√(vj − 0.1) + 1) + vj − 0.1)(11) knife edge diffraction loss analytical expressions are presented based on the Epstein-Peterson whereAj is i. A case study of 10 knife edge method. Also, the multple knife edge diffraction obstructions spread at a distance of 36 kilometers are modeled in terms of operating refractivity between the transmitter and the receiver was gradient, 훥푖 . The modified ITU knife edge utilized. Using Epstein- Peterson method, it was approximation model is presented. A case study observed that the highest diffraction loss occurred consisting of 10 knife edge obstruction is at hop 1(9.5811581dB), 1 kilometer from the presented.