"ÆÓÐÍÀË ÐÀÄÈÎÝËÅÊÒÐÎÍÈÊÈ" ISSN 1684-1719, N 7, 2018

îãëàâëåíèå âûïóñêà         DOI  10.30898/1684-1719.2018.7.7     òåêñò ñòàòüè (pdf)   

The Season and Diurnal Cycles of Surface Level Refractivity on Electromagnetic Wave Path in Lagos, Nigeria

 

J. A. Falade 1, S. O. Adesanya 2

1 Department of Physical Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria

 2 Department of Mathematical Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria

 

The paper is received on June 6, 2018

 

Abstract. Data obtained from Nigerian Environmental Climatic Observing Program (NECOP) station located at the University of Lagos, Akoka were employed to study the variation of surface radio refractivity for Lagos. Attention were focused on seasonal variation because the diurnal variation though could be abrupt, but the period of occurrence is short compared to the seasonal variation of the surface refractivity. Most of communication equipment, particularly the digital systems, require short time to transmit information between base stations and mobile devices and also operate near the surface and their paths vary in matter of minutes due to the influence of weather conditions. Lagos is located in a coastal area and is vulnerable to weather fluctuation and hence, a good candidate for localized refractive index fluctuation.  The diurnal profile is having the same pattern during the dry and the wet season and is high through the night and drops only slightly in the morning when sun rises to about 14:00h before it picks up slightly again round 16:00h when sun begins to set. The monthly graphs show the real time pattern of the other meteorological parameters and surface refractivity at a particular time of the year and thereby constitute the seasonal variation. The weather pattern and high rainfall in Lagos accounted for high surface radio refractivity throughout the year but goes low only, during the harmattan period which coincides with dry season.  The diurnal refractivity distribution is a function of daily weather parameters, while the seasonal variation tilted towards the trends in the climatic conditions of Lagos.  

Keywords: Inter Tropical Discontinuity, Refractive Index, Coastal area, Radio path.

References

1. Hall, M.P. Effects of the troposphere on radio communication. IEE Electromagnetic Waves Series, United Kingdom, Peter Peregrinus Ltd, 1989, 105-127.

2. Ambaum, M. H. P. Thermal Physics of the Atmosphere. Advancing weather and climate science. United States. Wiley-Blackwell, John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 1- 239.

3. Bean, B.R. and Dutton, E. J. Radio Meteorology. New York, Dover publications, 1966,  1-435.

4. Owolabi, I. E. and Williams, V. A. Surface Radio Refractivity Pattern in Nigeria and Southern Cameroon, Journal of West African Science Association, 1970, Vol. 20, No.1, 3-17

5. Oyedum O.D. and Gambo G.K. Surface radio refractivity in northern Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Physics, 1994, Vol. 6, 36-41.

6. Ayantunji, B. G., Okeke, P. N. and. Urama, J. O. Diurnal and Seasonal Variation of Surface Refractivity over Nigeria, Progress in Electromagnetics Research, 2011, Vol. 30,  201-222.

7. Falodun S. E., Okeke P. N. Radiowave propagation measurements in Nigeria (preliminary reports). Theoretical Applied Climatology, 2013, Vol. 113, 127–135. DOI: 10.1007/s00704-012-0766-z.

8. Falade, J. A., Adesanya, S. O. and Akinyemi G. A. Variability of meteorological factors on surface refractive index over Mowe, a coastal area in Nigeria. Indian Journal of Radio & Space Physics, 2014, Vol. 43, 355-361.

9. Willoughby A.A., Aro T. O., Owolabi I. E. Seasonal variations of radio refractivity gradients in Nigeria. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 2002, Vol. 64, No.4, 417-425.

10. Falodun S. E., Ajewole M. O. Radio refractive index in the lowest 100-m layer of the troposphere in Akure, South Western Nigeria. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 2006, Vol. 68, No. 2, 236-243.

11. Omotosho J. B. Spatial variation of rainfall in Nigeria during the little dry season. Atmospheric Research, 1988, Vol. 22, No. 2, 137-147.

12. Adefolalu D.O. On the mean equivalent potential temperature of the tropical atmosphere and the “Little Dry Season” over West Africa. Nig. Quarterly Meteorology Magazine, 1972, Vol. 2, No. 1, 15-40.

13. Odekunle T. O. Predicting the variability and severity of the “Little Dry Season” in southwestern Nigeria. IFE Journal of Science, 2007, Vol. 9, No.1, 93-108.

14. ITU-R. The radio refractivity index: its formula and refractivity data, International Telecommunication Union, Geneva, 2012, 453-9.

15.  Fontaine B., Janicot S., and Moron V. Rainfall anomaly patterns and winds field signals  over West Africa in August (1958-1989). America Meteorological Society, 1994, Vol. 8,  1503-1510.

16.  Hastenrath, S. and Lamb, P.  On the dynamics and climatology of surface flow over the equatorial oceans. Tellus, 1978, Vol. 30, 436-448. Available at http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/earth/atmosp here.html

17.  Xian, P. And Miller R. L. Abrupt seasonal migration of the ITCZ into the summer  Hemisphere. Journal Atmospheric Science, 2007, Vol. 65, 1878-1895. DOI: 10.1175/2007JA.

18. Chineke T. C., Jagtap S. S., and Nwofor O. West African monsoonː is the August break “breaking” in the eastern humid zone of Southern Nigeria? Climate change, 2010, Vol. 103, 555-570. DOI 10.1007/s10584-009-9780-2.

19. Nigerian Meteorological Report.  Nigeria climate review bulletin (2010), pp.1-10. Available at http://www.nimetng.org

20. Grist J. P., and Nicholson E. A study of the dynamic factors influencing the rainfall variability in the West African Sahel. Journal of Climate, 2001, vol. 14, No.7, 1337-1359.

 

Äëÿ öèòèðîâàíèÿ:

J. A. Falade, S. O. Adesanya. The Season and Diurnal Cycles of Surface Level Refractivity on Electromagnetic Wave Path in Lagos, Nigeria. Æóðíàë ðàäèîýëåêòðîíèêè [ýëåêòðîííûé æóðíàë]. 2018. ¹ 7. Ðåæèì äîñòóïà: http://jre.cplire.ru/jre/jul18/7/text.pdf

DOI 10.30898/1684-1719.2018.7.7