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Extremely low-frequency (ELF: below 30 Hz) wave penetration theory in the layered oceanic lithosphere is essential for studying submarine communications. In this article, we investigate the mode theory of ELF wave propagation in a layered oceanic lithosphere waveguide. Based on the real situation of the oceanic lithosphere approximated by the stratified prototype, in which a low-conductivity layer lies between two overlying and underlying high-conductivity regions, a theoretically sound physical model of oceanic lithosphere waveguide is built. The modal equations for transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) polarized guided modes are delivered using surface impedance boundary conditions. By evaluating the reflection coefficients of the upper and lower waveguide boundaries, formulas for the modal equation’s roots are derived. Analytical expressions for propagable mode parameters, such as the phase velocity, attenuation rate, excitation factor, and the field strength for different components, are obtained, and the cutoff frequency for high-order modes is given. Computations show that the field component curves exhibit typical peaks and nulls associated with multiple-mode propagation in the waveguide region, with each mode traveling at different phase velocities and attenuation rates. Moreover, it is found that all the high-order modes are evanescent below the cutoff frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benefiting from modeling human behavior and the multipath propagation of wireless signals in the environment, passive behavior-sensing systems can effectively identify individual behaviors by model-based or pattern-based methods. The existing methods use an individual sample to model or profile behavior feature, which leads to their failure in multiperson scenarios due to time-varying environments. In this paper, an online method on modeling the position-behavior feature of multiperson scene is presented. First, a position-based model of individual behavioral feature transformation is proposed. The behavior features in other positions are generated by the behavior of the individual in a particular position. Second, a multiperson behavior feature generation method based on noise reduction is proposed to generate the same behavior feature in an online pattern. Finally, taking advantage of the models, a multiperson fitness coaching system is designed and implemented, named multiuser fitness coach. The system can identify the irregular behavior of individuals in the multiperson environment. The performance of the system is evaluated in different scenarios, and the results show that the precision of feature generation can be effectively applied to the decision of irregular behavior in multiperson scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a two-way parabolic equation (2WPE) method based on the Pade(2,2) approximation form, which can model bidirectional electromagnetic wave (EW) propagation in a sea environment. Compared with other common approximation forms, the Pade(2,2) approximation has better convergence and accuracy. To accurately simulate the reflection and refraction effects of EW propagation near the sea surface, an improved fractal sea surface model is used to construct the geometric rough sea surface. The results of the Pade(2,2) approximation PE model are compared with those of the Miller–Brown model, and good agreement is observed. Numerous experiments prove that the 2WPE model is more accurate than the one-way parabolic equation model for predicting large-scale radio wave propagation in marine environments. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between the backward-scattered EWs and the wind speed. The polynomial fitting method is adopted to process a large amount of sampled data for backward-scattered EWs with different wind speeds and frequencies. Through accurate judgment of the points of the polynomial fitting curve in a certain frequency range, the wind speed over the sea surface can be precisely determined. Thus, this article provides a novel theoretical method for marine remote sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amplitude and phase distortions of radar echo signal will cause the emergence of undesirable ghost scattering points, which degrade the quality of terahertz (THz) radar images. In this paper, a physics-based procedure is presented to predict the atmospheric attenuation and dispersion characteristics at THz frequencies, which is mainly based on the line-by-line calculation method with a specific modification in phase-shift prediction. The line-by-line parameters provided by the high-resolution transmission spectroscopic database and atmospheric condition parameters obtained from the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory reference atmospheric constituent profiles are adopted to predict the atmospheric transmittance and the phase shift for specific transfer paths. The results are compared with measured data to demonstrate the accuracy, while the proposed procedure is used to analyze the impacts of atmospheric transfer characteristics on radar imaging via the high-resolution range profile simulation. The signal distortion is interpreted in terms of paired echoes to illustrate the importance of frequency band selection for high-resolution imagery at THz frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 3-D hybrid model is presented for the prediction of propagation of radio waves in the presence of complex obstacles located on regular perfectly conducting terrain. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is implemented to model the source and obstacle regions, and the wave is then propagated by using the parabolic equation (PE) method-based algorithm. The source region contains all the complex obstacles and takes into consideration all the possible wave interactions in that region. The transition region between the FDTD domain and the PE domain is carefully treated in order to avoid numerical incompatibilities and to realize the time-/frequency-domain transition. The method is applied for different scenarios, starting with relatively simple obstacles like knife-edges for the verification and validation of the approach and then including more complex obstacles to the propagation medium. The results are compared to those obtained from full FDTD implementations of the same scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physics-based wireless propagation modeling and network protocol design have evolved over decades as orthogonal areas in communication systems research. This fragmented approach does not exploit available efficiencies when planning and deploying communication systems. In an attempt to integrate the two areas, we harness the understanding of the underlying physics of electromagnetic propagation to enhance the robustness of network protocol design by deriving physics-based network-level performance metrics. We use ray-tracing and parabolic equation models of 2.4 GHz propagation along tunnel and open-air sections of London Underground to evaluate the performance of a communications-based train control system. For comparison, we consider existing path loss models for tunnel environments and investigate whether they can provide sufficient accuracy to be used for network protocol design. We show that physics-based models lead to reliable predictions at the network level, similar in fidelity to using measured data and unlike using simplified channel models of the path loss exponent type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an exact mathematical framework for electromagnetic wave propagation in periodically time-modulated media, in which the permittivity is homogenous and modulated in a step-varying fashion. By using Hill’s equation theory, we show that this problem has analytical solutions. We connect the dispersion relation, which exhibits $k-$ gaps, with the Hill stability analysis, providing an alternative mathematical description for wave propagation in temporal crystals. Our analysis, which is exact and transposable to other kinds of waves or modulation schemes, provides general useful physical and mathematical insights, complementing the use of numerical techniques such as finite differences in the time domain, or harmonic balance schemes, with a more transparent and practical design tool. The present analytical transient mathematical analysis, in contrast with the existing frequency-domain numerical approaches, can exhibit the parametric properties of electromagnetic waves inside a time periodic medium. For this reason, it can be a useful tool for the design of active microwave and optical devices, which employ time periodic wave medium modulation to filter or parametrically amplify wave signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the Greene second-order parabolic equation (PE) solution to model radio propagation over irregular terrain. This solution is implemented by finite-difference and shift-map technique. The second-order finite-difference approach performs well for slopes up to about 15°, and discontinuous slope changes up to about 30°, which is better than can be achieved using the split-step/Fourier approach. The results prove that the Greene PE solution has greater propagation angles than does the Claerbout PE solution. Thus, the Greene second-order solution can certainly give better results for large angle propagation over complicated terrain boundaries. Besides, we treat the important problem of accuracy of the different approximations of the PE-based propagation models, and derive the general PE solutions with respect to the terrain slope for the different approximations. It is useful to have collected in one paper, the most important PE approximations for radio propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternate direction implicit (ADI) method has been widely used to analyze the tunnel propagation or electromagnetic scattering problem for the finite difference method. In this paper, a novel alternate direction decomposition (ADD) scheme is proposed to simplify the split-step Fourier transform (SSFT) algorithm in parabolic equation (PE) model. The spatial matrix of electric field is decoupled into two subarrays by ADD-SSFT algorithm, which is used to decrease the computational burden for 3-D PE problems in a large scale environment after the integration order exchanged. Also, the phase error of this approximation is analyzed to show the algorithm performance, along with several numerical results, including the tunnel cases with traditional modal theory, and they are provided to validate and calibrate the PE model, and demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed algorithm. Moreover, the scattering computation is investigated and compared with multilevel fast multipole method to show that ADD-SSFT is appropriate for solving the scattering problems for the electrical large target. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A 3-D bidirectional solution to the parabolic approximation of the wave equation is investigated by using a vector field representation. The backward propagating wave is integrated to the classical parabolic equation approach, which represents the forward propagating wave. Propagation over flat terrain in the presence of knife-edges is considered as well as over irregular terrain consisting of hills modeled by the succession of knife-edges. At each knife-edge, appropriate boundary conditions are enforced, and the wave is partly reflected in the backward direction. The wave is marched in both directions by using the split-step algorithm. Different tests are conducted in order to analyze and validate the results obtained by the proposed algorithm. Comparisons with results from both, 2-D parabolic equation-based algorithm, and 3-D finite-difference time domain-based algorithm, are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper addresses the problem of nonreciprocity of propagation conditions in meteor-burst communication systems (MBCSs). In prior publications, this problem has not gained appropriate attention. The channel nonreciprocity may have a significant impact on such advanced communication systems as meteor synchronization systems with nanosecond precision and meteor key distribution systems intended to securely create two identical copies of a shared secret key at both channel sides. These systems are based on the processing of phase characteristics of meteor radio reflections that need to be accurately modeled. We propose a new MBCS simulation model that is based on a rigorous solution to the problem of oblique diffraction of radio waves on ionized meteor trails. Our diffraction approach allows more accurate simulation of the amplitude and phase characteristics of oppositely propagating signals that makes possible detailed investigation of the channel nonreciprocity effects. Using this approach, we present some preliminary simulation results on the channel nonreciprocity at meteor-burst propagation that prove satisfactory immunity of MBCS to ionospheric disturbances even while operating in severe conditions of polar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Functional Units that are designed to receive inputs and produce outputs using a non-redundant format typically exhibit an inferior performance. In order to overcome this limitation, the carry-save and partial carry-save formats have been proposed. Both approaches are very suitable when implementing addition trees. Nevertheless, if there are multiplications in the datapath, the inputs to the multiplier must be reduced to a non-redundant form, to avoid applying the distributive property. In this paper we present a multiplier able to receive two numbers in partial carry-save format, and produce a result in partial carry-save format as well. This is done by modifying the Booth encoder and leveraging the generate and propagate group signals that are available because of the partial carry-save format. Hence, this can allow to fully implement datapaths without additional penalty cycles due to reductions to non-redundant forms. Experiments show that our proposed multiplier has 15 percent shorter delay with respect to a conventional Booth radix-4 multiplier. Moreover, when combining it with partial carry-save adders it is possible to reduce 36 percent execution time on average for several benchmarks, achieving a 32.7 percent reduction in the Energy Delay Product at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric ducts that are caused by the rapid decrease in the refractive index of the lower atmosphere can trap the propagating signals. The trapping effect of atmospheric ducts provides significant received power enhancements and enables signals to reach beyond-line-of-sight distances. Although wave propagation in atmospheric ducts are well studied, there is no work that provides fading and correlation analysis for atmospheric ducts. Therefore, the main motivation of this communication is to develop a large-scale path-loss model, estimate the distribution of fading, and analyze fading correlation for space and polarization diversity systems in the presence of surface ducts. Lastly, the achievable data rate results are presented to show the performance improvement with space and polarization diversity techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: The purpose of this study is to model the dynamics of lobular Ca2+ wave propagation induced by an extracellular stimulus, and to analyze the effect of spatially systematic variations in cell-intrinsic signaling parameters on sinusoidal Ca2+ response. Methods: We developed a computational model of lobular scale Ca2+ signaling that accounts for receptor- mediated initiation of cell-intrinsic Ca2+ signal in hepatocytes and its propagation to neighboring hepatocytes through gap junction-mediated molecular exchange. Results: Analysis of the simulations showed that a pericentral-to-periportal spatial gradient in hormone sensitivity and/or rates of IP3 synthesis underlies the Ca2+ wave propagation. We simulated specific cases corresponding to localized disruptions in the graded pattern of these parameters along a hepatic sinusoid. Simulations incorporating locally altered parameters exhibited Ca2+ waves that do not propagate throughout the hepatic plate. Increased gap junction coupling restored normal Ca2+ wave propagation when hepatocytes with low Ca2+ signaling ability were localized in the midlobular or the pericentral region. Conclusion: Multiple spatial patterns in intracellular signaling parameters can lead to Ca2+ wave propagation that is consistent with the experimentally observed spatial patterns of Ca2+ dynamics. Based on simulations and analysis, we predict that increased gap junction-mediated intercellular coupling can induce robust Ca2+ signals in otherwise poorly responsive hepatocytes, at least partly restoring the sinusoidally oriented Ca 2+ waves. Significance: Our bottom-up model of agonist-evoked spatial Ca2+ patterns can be integrated with detailed descriptions of liver histology to study Ca2+ regulation at the tissue level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In recent years, various techniques have been applied to modeling radio-wave propagation in railway networks, each one presenting its own advantages and limitations. This paper presents a hybrid channel modeling technique, which combines two of these methods, the ray-tracing (RT) and vector parabolic equation (VPE) methods, to enable the modeling of realistic railway scenarios including stations and long guideways within a unified simulation framework. The general-purpose RT method is applied to analyze propagation in complex areas, whereas the VPE method is reserved for long and uniform tunnel as well as open-air sections. By using the advantages of VPE to compensate for the limitations of RT and vice versa, this hybrid model ensures improved accuracy and computational savings. Numerical results are validated with experimental measurements in various railway scenarios, including an actual deployment site of communication-based train control (CBTC) systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this paper is to continue exploring the use of International GNSS Service (IGS) products as a tool to be used in Earth-space propagation experiments. With this purpose, 4 years of Zenith Tropospheric Delay data from IGS Villafranca station, in Madrid, Spain, have been processed with the aim to estimate the attenuation due to gases. These values are then used for the validation of a concurrent database of 4 years of radiometric measurements at 19.7 GHz, collected at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) with the purpose of studying the attenuation effects of gases and clouds. The suggested validation procedure includes both an automatic routine and visual inspection. The validated measurements are statistically analyzed on a yearly and seasonal basis. Results point toward the usefulness of IGS data in propagation experiments as well as their integration in their processing routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parabolic equation (PE) methods have been widely applied to the modeling of wireless propagation in tunnel environments. However, the relevant literature does not include concrete guidelines for the choice of the parameters of these methods and the tradeoffs involved. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the two sources of error that arise when PE methods are employed for the modeling of radio-wave propagation scenarios: the well-known numerical dispersion error stemming from the finite-difference solvers for PE and the approximation error stemming from the use of PE for the solution of wave propagation problems that are subject to Maxwell’s equations. The analysis is performed for four methods, three of which have been already used in PE-based propagation studies, namely, the Crank–Nicolson (CN) scheme, the alternative-direction-implicit (ADI) method, and its locally one-dimensional (LOD-ADI) version. The fourth method is the Mitchell-Fairweather (MF)-ADI scheme that has been recently shown to be a promising alternative technique for tunnel propagation modeling. The proposed method leads to robust criteria for the choice of spatial discretization in realistic propagation scenarios, as shown via numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Acoustic tracking with propagation delay is a challenging problem for the following reasons: 1) It is difficult to perform an accurate state prediction, as the time interval between the current state and the previous state is varying and unknown due to the propagation delay; and 2) the target time (signal emission time) needs to be estimated in addition to the target position and velocity. With the state augmented with the target time, the state transition cannot be described by the commonly used explicit Gauss?Markov model. In this paper, we propose a new approach to solving this difficult problem by using the Gauss?Helmert model for the state transition, which consists of an implicit equation between two consecutive states. An unscented Gauss?Helmert filter is then developed based on this formulation. The new approach is applied to the bearings-only tracking problem with state-dependent propagation delay. Simulation tests are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the unscented Gauss?Helmert filter, which is shown to outperform other approaches in terms of estimation accuracy, especially when a target is moving at high speed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel two dimensional model to characterize the electromagnetic behavior of trees has been developed with the purpose of being used in ray-tracing based simulation platforms. This model uses various point scatterers with specific radiation characteristics to describe the effect of the trees present in the radiowave propagation path. The method to extract the parameters of the point scatterers from measurements is presented. The performance of this novel formulation is assessed in a tree formation scenario against measurements results obtained in a controlled environment, inside an anechoic chamber, at 20 and 62.4 GHz. Additionally, a comparison analysis with a discretized radiative energy transfer (dRET) approach is conducted, where a relatively good agreement has been found. The absence of readily plug-in models considering propagation through and/or around vegetation makes this new tool interesting for radio planning purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Optimizing the cellular network?s cell locations is one of the most fundamental problems of network design. The general objective is to provide the desired QoS with the minimum system cost. In order to meet a growing appetite for mobile data services, heterogeneous networks have been proposed as a cost- and energyefficient method of improving local spectral efficiency. While unarticulated cell deployments can lead to localized improvements, there is a significant risk posed to network-wide performance due to the additional interference. The first part of the article focuses on state-of-the-art modelling and radio planning methods based on stochastic geometry and Monte Carlo simulations, and the emerging automatic deployment prediction technique for low-power nodes, or LPNs, in heterogeneous networks. The technique advises an LPN where it should be deployed, given certain knowledge of the network. The second part of the article focuses on algorithms that utilize interference and physical environment knowledge to assist LPN deployment. The proposed techniques can not only improve network performance, but also reduce radio planning complexity, capital expenditure, and energy consumption of the cellular network. The theoretical work is supported by numerical results from system-level simulations that employ real cellular network data and physical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the extremely low frequency (ELF) range, the space between the ground and ionosphere forms a spherical waveguide. When studying the ELF radio-wave propagation on Earth using analytical models, it is commonly assumed that the ground has perfect conductivity. In some planetary applications, the ground conductivity is so low that it has a significant influence on the radio-wave propagation in the ELF range and it has to be included in the model. This issue has not been resolved in a satisfactory way yet. In this paper, we analyze the penetration of the ground by an electromagnetic wave traveling along the surface and we propose a solution that allows including ground parameters in the frequently used 2-D analytical model of the ground-ionosphere waveguide. The presented calculations show that in most cases on Earth, the differences with such a model are small, up to a few percent for phase velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new pseudo three-dimensional (3-D) segment method analytical ray tracing technique (3-D SMART) is similar to the 2-D SMART technique however with the added ability to determine the effects of transverse refractive gradients on a ray path. In the past numerical ray tracing techniques using a form of Haselgrove's equations were required for realistic 3-D ray tracing. This new 3-D SMART technique is considerably less computer resource intensive than numerical ray tracing techniques and thus is of particular importance for near real-time applications and the general case where it is necessary to trace a vast number of ray paths. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The integral equation (IE) method and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method are combined for the prediction of long-range Loran-C ground-wave propagation. Being capable of modeling the topography details, the combined IE-FDTD algorithm has much better accuracy than the integral equation method. On the other hand, it saves computational resources dramatically as compared to a full FDTD solution. Measurement results along two paths between Xuancheng and Songshan China are used to validate the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The effects from lateral variations of irregular terrain on the propagation of radio waves are considered by the representation of the vector fields in terms of two scalar Hertz potentials in spherical coordinates. The combination of three-dimensional parabolic equations for these potentials with an impedance boundary condition for the ground, followed by a transformation of variables, will define a boundary-condition problem characterized by equations displaying coefficients that depend on the terrain height function and its partial derivatives. The problem solution through the Crank-Nicolson scheme will lead to a sparse system of linear equations, which will be solved by a direct method. The resulting numerical model will be applied to test cases to show similar features to those from examples described in the literature, taken as references for validation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing of the atmospheric refractivity structure using signal strength measurements from a single emitter to an array of radio receivers has been proposed as a promising way for refractivity estimation. As a complement to the pioneers' published works, this paper focuses on addressing the problem of simultaneously estimating the evaporation duct height and localizing the source's position. The problem is organized as a multi-parameter optimization issue and genetic algorithm is adopted to search for the optimal solution from various trial parameters. The performance is determined via numerical simulations and mainly evaluated as a function of: 1) the geometry of the receiver array; 2) the transmitting frequency; and 3) the noise in the measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations of the magnetron operation with a feedback loop were performed assuming that the delay of the electromagnetic wave propagating in the loop is constant whereas the phase of the complex feedback reflection coefficient is varied. Results of simulations showed that, by a proper adjustment of the values of the time delay and phase of the reflection coefficient that determines phase matching between the waves in the resonator and feedback loop, one can increase the magnetron output power significantly without any other additional measures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Traditional methods used to predict the ground-wave field strength at low frequency are not applicable for terrains with serious irregularities because of the analytical approximations. In this paper, the two dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm is applied to calculate the field strength of the low frequency (LF) ground wave propagating over irregular terrains. The propagation characteristics are studied as functions of the mountain's gradient, height, and width, respectively. We also focus on studying the cases with multiple mountains in the path. Moreover, the error of the traditional integral equation method is analyzed by comparisons. The results show that when the mountain's gradient and height are high, additional oscillations in the field strength will appear in front of and in the mountain region due to the wave reflection and scattering. At last, measurements of the Loran-C signals are taken along a real path between Pucheng and Tongchuan in Shaanxi province, China. It is found that most of the measured and FDTD results have good agreements while some still have big errors owing to the model approximation. The FDTD method gets better precision than the integral equation method in the irregular terrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time domain (TD) solution for the multiple diffraction of spherical waves after an arbitrary number of obstacles with different shapes such as knife-edges and wedges, is presented. The proposed TD solution is based on the representation of the inverse Laplace transform of the corresponding frequency domain solution in closed form, as it is given by a hybrid of the uniform theory of diffraction (UTD)-physic optics (PO) solution. The proposed formulation, validated with the results from technical literature, does not need to incorporate the TD version of the higher-order diffraction coefficients due to a recursive relation, thus significantly reducing both the mathematical complexity and computation time of the formulation when compared with other TD solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Standard sites are important for antenna calibrations. However, many actual sites are not perfect for antenna calibrations due to surrounding reflectors and other measurement uncertainties. Earlier studies were either impractical for actual sites or calculating inaccurately. This paper develops a new method to compute normalized site attenuation (NSA) with reflectors nearby. Based on the conventional NSA, the model with the actual rod-like reflectors is formulated by the wave propagation theory, which is not considered earlier. With this new method, the interferences of rods are considered from the shortest reflected path. The results of the proposed method show good agreement with the numerical simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new detailed features of microstrip lines on a generic pseudochiral medium. A full-wave analysis is also proposed based on the spectral domain technique to extract the propagation characteristics of the new line in a straightforward way is compared to other methods in the literature. In addition, The Extended Method of Lines (E-MoL) is implemented to validate the results. It is found that the orientation of the \Omega particles has significant effects on propagation characteristics of the microstrip line. Several novel characteristics are achieved, which is not the case for conventional microstrip lines. These appealing phenomena may be very promising in realization of new devices in microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a few corrections for [1] that are presented here. Some readers noticed the coordinate of the source in [1, Fig. 1] should be described using the superscript, therefore, we would like correct Fig. 1 as shown. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this letter, new estimators of the α-μ distribution are derived based on the skewness of the logarithmic α-μ distribution using the moments method. This distribution has been recently proposed to model the received field strength in nonlinear propagation mediums. Therefore, simple and computationally efficient estimators are required to infer the parameters of the received signal amplitude distribution in nonlinear wireless communication propagation channels. The performance of these new estimators is compared to that obtained with the estimators calculated with the moments method of the α-μ distribution by solving numerically transcendental equations. These estimators are easily evaluated with simple expressions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Irregular Terrain Model (ITM), also known as the Longley-Rice model, predicts long-range average transmission loss of a radio signal based on atmospheric and geographic conditions. Due to variable terrain effects and constantly changing atmospheric conditions which can dramatically influence radio wave propagation, there is a pressing need for computational resources capable of running hundreds of thousands of transmission loss calculations per second. Multicore processors, like the NVIDIA Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and IBM Cell Broadband Engine (BE), offer improved performance over mainstream microprocessors for ITM. We study architectural features of the Tesla C870 GPU and Cell BE and evaluate the effectiveness of architecture-specific optimizations and parallelization strategies for ITM on these platforms. We assess the GPU implementations that utilize both global and shared memories along with fine-grained parallelism. We assess the Cell BE implementations that utilize direct memory access, double buffering, and SIMDization. With these optimization strategies, we achieve less than a second of computation time on each platform which is not feasible with a general purpose processor, and we observe that the GPU delivers better performance than Cell BE in terms of total execution time and performance per watt metrics by a factor of 2.3x and 1.6x, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]