A general statistical channel model for mobile satellite systems

In order to guarantee the service quality and reliability for mobile satellite communication systems, we have to take into account outages due to obstruction of the line-of-sight path between a satellite and a mobile terminal as well as the signal fluctuation caused by interference from multipath radio waves. Thus, we need a good characterization for the satellite propagation channel. In this paper, we derive a general statistical model for mobile communication systems based on propagation scattering theory. Both the probability density function (pdf) of the received signal envelope and that of received signal power are given. This model is shown to be more general than previously known statistical models and can provide a better fit to the experimental data. This new model will play a significant role in the design of mobile satellite communication systems.