Radio Frequency Propagation Modeling in the Luciad GIS Based Terrain Analysis System (TAS)

Supporting Mission Planning and Force Operations

Glenn Weathers, Applied Data Trends, Inc.Brad Smith, SAIC

Harold Fears, COLSA

November 15, 2011

ContentsContents

• Overview of the ADT Terrain Analysis System (TAS)• Military value of functionality provided by TAS• The TAS RF Propagation Analysis service in more

detail – Including a RF propagation analysis, testing, and validation tool

implemented in Mathcad

• Current status of TAS• Future development plans for TAS

OverviewOverview• Product software was written in Java and operating in the Luciad commercial GIS

environment– A TAS C++ version runs with ESRI GIS

• What was the primary advantages of basing the TAS upon the Luciad commercial GIS?

– Ease and speed with which information can be presented– Copes with large data sets and can cover large study areas– Includes means to conveniently select any sub-study area– Copes with unlimited and frequent edits and changes– Robust, stable, and resistant to data loss– Fast and efficient execution– Productive development environment

*

OverviewOverview• What was the primary disadvantage of basing the TAS

upon the Luciad commercial GIS?– Diagnostic algorithms based upon a "step" size that had the potential

of "skipping" terrain features if set too large.

• Why was Luciad selected as the GIS to be the basis ofTAS?– Luciad was easier to integrate into the objective services oriented overarching

architecture per software architects

• What is the operating system under which the TAS executes?– UNIX (Linux) but a port to Windows would be straightforward

OverviewOverview• What is the software development environment?

– Eclipse IDE (Integrated Development Environment) withcalls to the Luciad libraries. Luciad was used to:

• Read data• Manipulate geometry• Generate line of sight between geometries• Contour generation

– TAS Can process feature data in Oracle, DB2 and ESRI shape files.– TAS leverages support for "complex query" capability like

"select all cropland features with a slope < 5%“

• Does the GIS vendor provide support during development?– The Luciad software package and documentation was an easy to understand and use and Luciad

provides good support

Military Value of TAS RF Military Value of TAS RF Attenuation AnalysisAttenuation Analysis

• Planning command post or communications relay position – Support RF communications with ground or air platforms or with dismounted

troops• Planning ground or air maneuver routes

– platforms on these routes have RF communications support with one or more fixed locations.

Military Value of TAS Military Value of TAS ViewshedViewshed

• Planning the location of forward observer sites• Planning the routes of UAVs equipped with electro-

optical sensors

Military Value of TAS LOSMilitary Value of TAS LOS

• Planning ground maneuvers to avoid LOS with known enemy positions

• Planning direct-fire missions

Military Value of TAS Military Value of TAS DiscernabilityDiscernability

• Planning operations with specific criterion involving feature data, for example, finding a road with no line-of-sight to a specific enemy position

• Planning command post or platform positions where a building partially blocks expected enemy RF communications jamming

• Planning a UAV electro-optical sensor mission that will have LOS to several transportation features (roads) possibly in use by the enemy.

Military Value of TAS Military Value of TAS Elevation ServiceElevation Service

•Generate elevation profile for a point, line or area for planning deployment of assets•Determine slope and aspect at a point to plan to meet deployment constraints•Determine minimum and maximum elevations within an area to search for potential observer deployment points

Military Value of TAS IntersectionsMilitary Value of TAS Intersections

• Calculate where a flight path trajectory will intersect terrain and/or terrain features such as buildings to aide in flight planning

• Returns vector information for each intersecting segment.– geometry– Feature information

Military Value of TAS Region of Military Value of TAS Region of InfluenceInfluence

• Used to generate a buffer zone around a given feature in the terrain – Example: buffer zone around a linear feature

Military Value of TAS Military Value of TAS TraversabilityTraversability

• Find limiting factors to vehicle movement along a route to aide in maneuver planning

TAS Support of Critical Military TAS Support of Critical Military Operations Planning FunctionsOperations Planning Functions

• TAS provides functionality to other planners• RF Propagation/Attenuation Modeling

– Communications Network planning– Sensor planning– Force Protection planning

• LOS/Viewshed– Course of Action planning– Sensor planning– Force Protection Planning

• Discernability– Maneuver planning

TAS Support of Critical Planning TAS Support of Critical Planning FunctionsFunctions

• Intersections– Mission planning– Maneuver planning

• Region of Influence– Course of Action planning– Mission planning– Fires and Effects Planning

• Transversability– Maneuver planning

TAS: RF Propagation AnalysisTAS: RF Propagation Analysis

• Requirement to calculate attenuation from Site 1 to all possible locations of Site 2 in a map area.– Deliverable product written in Java and operating in the Luciad GIS

environment– System Engineering efforts used Mathcad as a means of generating

“Executable Specifications”: • Support testing of the mathematical models and algorithms• Verify Java/Luciad implementation by comparison of results

RF Propagation ModelsRF Propagation Models

• Sky Wave– Direct path– Reflection path– Atmospheric refraction– Atmospheric absorption

• Ground Wave– Diffraction path

• Terrain blockage• Structure blockage

• Vegetation attenuation• Weather attenuation

Area of South Korea Used for Test and AnalysisArea of South Korea Used for Test and Analysis

Terrain View: Color Coded ElevationTerrain View: Color Coded Elevation

Terrain:1200 arc-secondBy1200 arc-second(Approximately 40 KM by 40 KM)Centered on36 degrees 40 Minutes North Latitude and 126 Degrees 40 Minutes East Longitude (An area of South Korea)

Terrain resolution: 12 arc second samples

Example:Site 1 Radio location is the center of the map indicated by the intersection of the two white lines

Test Area 3-D Terrain ViewTest Area 3-D Terrain View

Typical Mathcad Based Tool ResultsTypical Mathcad Based Tool Results

RF Attenuation Contours in dBAntenna H1 = 10 mAntenna H2 = 2 mFrequency = 400 MHz

Mathcad Attenuation Versus Frequency Mathcad Attenuation Versus Frequency AnimationAnimation

Sweep Frequency from 20 MHz to 2 GHz: Attenuation with One Contour at177 dB Threshold Level (defines “no-go” areas)

Click in Graphic

Mathcad Animation of Moving TransmitterMathcad Animation of Moving Transmitter

Click in Graphic

TAS: Current StatusTAS: Current Status

• Functionality implemented via TAS and currently available through the TAS I/O Kit. – RF Attenuation– LOS/Viewshed– Discernability

• Functionality implemented in TAS but to become available through the TAS I/O kit.– Elevations– Intersections– Altitudes– Region of influence– Transversability– Feature Attribute

Planned TAS EnhancementsPlanned TAS Enhancements

• Automated assistance in placement of communications terminals and sensors– Suggest best locations to the warfighter based upon RF propagation,

LOS/Viewshed, and using Discernability for best relationship to GIS feature data such as transportation features

• Include acoustic propagation modeling to support automated acoustic sensor placement

• Enhance RF propagation modeling to better support electronic warfare planning

Planned TAS EnhancementsPlanned TAS Enhancements

• Add weather effects for– Viewshed/LOS

• Add solar/lunar shading capabilities– Viewshed/LOS

• Add a smart “trade-off” algorithm controlling geospatial sampling step size to make sure all buildings are considered while controlling memory use and run-time. – Viewshed– RF Propagation

QuestionsQuestions