We present the NEFOCAST project (named by contraction of “Nefele”, which is Italian spelling for mythological cloud nymph Nephele, and “forecast”), funded Tuscany Region, about feasibility a system detection monitoring precipitation fields over regional territory based on use widespread network new-generation Eutelsat “SmartLNB” (smart low-noise block converter) domestic terminals. Though primarily intended interactive satellite services, these devices can also be used as weather sensors,...

In this paper, we present results from the NEFOCAST Project, funded by Tuscany Region, aiming at detecting and estimating rainfall fields opportunistic use of rain-induced excess attenuation incurred in downlink channel a commercial DVB satellite signal. The is estimated reverse-engineering effects various propagation phenomena affecting received signal, among which, first place, perturbations factors geostationary orbits, such as gravitational attraction moon sun inhomogeneity Earth mass...

Physical characteristics of precipitation, like temporal and spatial variability, jointly with coverage costs conventional meteorological devices for quantitative rainfall estimation (i.e., rain gauges, disdrometers, weather radars) make the precipitation monitoring a complex task. However, real time maps are an important tool many applications, dealing environment, social activities, business. Recently, use "opportunistic" methods to estimate has been investigated, highlighting possibility...

In this paper, we present a research project named NEFO-CAST, that targets very-short-term forecasting platform with high accuracy and small-scale spatial resolution. The innovative solution lies in adopting new generation of interactive satellite terminals, called SmartLNB, serves both as weather sensor the transceiver for platform. Throughout highlight main features system, including advantages compared to state-of-the-art solutions, expected results, market perspectives.

In this paper, we propose a novel opportunistic multi-satellite sensor system which overcomes the limitations of conventional single-satellite solutions literature. The considerable robustness to possible unavailability some satellites, besides being well suited for powerful 2D reconstruction techniques rain field, makes it an appealing solution experimental tests within national and EU-funded research projects.

Satellite communications (SatCom) have a role of advanced service enablers in the new virtual networks, following 3GPP specifications. Specifically, satellite peculiar characteristics are paramount importance to dynamically activate capabilities, such as multicast and broadcast channels, sudden traffic offloading, capacity bonding, cost-efficient coverage uncovered areas. A key aspect achieve seamless efficient integration between terrestrial infrastructures is make resource management...

NEFOCAST is a project funded by the Tuscany Region Goverment (Italy) that aims at setting up, and demonstrating through field experiments, concept of system able to provide precipitation maps in real-time based on attenuation measurements collected dense population interactive satellite terminals (called SmartLNB, smart Low-Noise Block converter) commercially used as bidirectional modems. The does not require set-up specific measuring instruments, but uses telecommunication links. An...

The paper gives an overview of the UNIC project and describes DVB-S2 ACM (adaptive coding modulation) ACM/QoS (quality service) test platform developed by project, to optimize satellite access performance in a TV centric 2-way scenario with interactive multimedia offer users. requirements, development activities summary results tests carried out during laboratory field trials is also given.

An intelligent transport system open platform integrating the S-band Mobile Interactive Multimedia messaging return channel protocol over satellite (based on Enhanced Spread Spectrum Aloha) has been developed and tested under real environment conditions within framework of SafeTRIP, an FP7 EU-funded project. This paper presents first field trials results using technology. The introduced forward link outcomes have derived from mobile carried out in surroundings German Aerospace Center (DLR)...

Opportunistic rain sensing using satellite broadband and broadcast channels has recently proven to be a very accurate, cost-effective, broad-coverage technique. Since it relies on accurate propagation channel modeling, needs keep the pace with evolution of satellite-based communication systems, in particular terms ever-increasing range radio frequencies foreseen for integration (beyond-)5G networks. This paper performs performance comparison between: i) consolidated, though overly...

Accurate precipitation measurement is critical for managing flood and drought risks. Traditional meteorological tools, such as rain gauges remote sensors, have limitations in resolution, coverage, cost-effectiveness. Recently, the opportunistic use of microwave communication signals has been explored to improve estimation. While there growing interest using satellite-to-earth links (SMLs) machine learning-based estimation, direct rainfall estimation from raw signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) data...

In this paper we study the opportunistic use of microwave satellite signals in Ku and Ka bands to detect presence rain events estimate their intensity. This approach, based on measuring excess signal attenuation due rain, has advantage that potential number sensors over territory could be increased dramatically also allowing prospectively realization accurate regional maps. Moreover, employing same network whose are opportunistically used, measurements can easily fed back universally...

The goal of the ongoing SafeTRIP project is to provide ITS community with a bidirectional communications platform on which any organisation can develop its own and multimedia entertainment applications. This open developers willing benefit from wide range state-of-the-art satellite services (using recently allocated S-band spectrum for Mobile Satellite Services based standards co-developed by several partners), as well almost ubiquitous terrestrial networks. It also available researchers who...

IPID5196777submitted. The subsystems developed in the course of project will be tested a real environment using Q/V-band Aldo Paraboni (AP) payload on Alphasat (25° east) and its associated ground segment, made available by Italian Space Agency (ASI). This has been granted European Commission involves consortium companies universities coordinated ASI. consists of: Martel GmbH, Erzia Technologies SL, Eutelsat SA, MBI Srl, Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (CNIT),...

In the NEFOCAST project we aim at estimating rainfall by opportunistic use of signal attenuation due to propagation channel in satellite communications. The estimation is performed reverse engineering effects various phenomena on signal. However, accuracy affected several factors: first place rapid fluctuations amplitude caused small-scale irregularities tropospheric refractive index; secondly, perturbations orbit GEO satellites, such as gravitational moon and sun, which, even if...

Rainfall precipitation maps are usually derived based on the measurements collected by classical weather devices, such as rain gauges and stations.This article aims to show benefits obtained opportunistic rainfall signal strength provided commercial-grade satellite terminals (e.g., used in TV broadcasting).To assess not only feasibility of this approach, with significant advantages terms capital operational expenditure, but also improvements accuracy, we focus a case study for agricultural...

In this paper we present results from the NEFOCAST project, funded by Tuscany Region, aiming at detecting and estimating rainfall fields opportunistic use of rain-induced excess attenuation incurred in downlink channel a commercial DVB satellite signal. The is estimated reverse-engineering effects various propagation phenomena affecting received signal, among which, first place, perturbations factors geostationary orbits, such as gravitational attraction moon sun inhomogeneity Earth mass...

<p>Modern ways to measure rainfall provide a variety of different solutions, direct and indirect, with respect the standard approach that is raingauge method. Retrieving actual rain fallen on target domain not in fact as easy task due its temporal spatial variability, but importance paramount for meteorology effects human lives environment. Rainfall regimes are changing almost at every latitude dramatic effects, complex connection climate change large part be still...

In the last two decades, several studies exploited opportunistic microwave signals to improve precipitation estimation capability. this framework, Nefocast project developed an ad-hoc algorithm retrieve from attenuation experienced by Earth-to-satellite links and deployed extensive field campaign validate algorithm. Thanks co-located measurements of a satellite receiver (SmartLNB), disdrometer weather radar in Rome, assumptions were addressed. Recently vertically pointing micro rain...