ndian scientist makes breakthrough in mobile signaling

Washington, May 17 : An Indian-origin scientist at the University of Leicester has made a breakthrough discovery in mobile signals, which according to him, may have implications for countries with long coastlines such as India.

Salil Gunashekar, a Physics graduate from St Stephen's College, New Delhi, who is now a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in the Radio Systems Research Group, has found a particular window of time when mobile signals and radio waves are 'super strength', which would enable them to be clearer and travel greater distances, potentially interfering with other systems.

Mainly assessing the signal strength of radio waves travelling over the sea, the research identified late afternoons and early evenings in spring and summer as a time when enhanced signals occur.

The study may have implications for the design of cellular telephone networks operating in marine and coastal regions.

"In today's world, radio waves are an indispensable means of communicating information 'without wires' from one place to another, be it for radio broadcasts or cell phones, television transmissions or airport radars" said Gunashekar.

He added: "When radio waves travel for long distances over the sea their strength can be affected by the weather. The constantly changing weather conditions over the sea mean that marine and coastal environments, in particular, are prone to unusual atmospheric phenomena that enable radio waves to travel longer distances and have higher strengths than expected."

For the study Gunashekar carried out a detailed theoretical and experimental investigation of the propagation characteristics of over-sea radio communications.

He later examined the relationship between specific over-sea propagation mechanisms and signal strength distribution patterns in a temperate region such as the English Channel, which he then modelled and correlated with meteorological parameters.

"Interestingly, signal strength enhancements have been observed on all three radio paths, predominantly in the late afternoon and evening periods, in the spring and summer months. During these periods, which occur only approximately 5-10% of the time, the influence of higher-altitude radio wave 'trapping' structures has been verified," said Dr Gunashekar.

The research conducted in this investigation is expected to have implications for the design of cellular telephone networks operating in marine and coastal regions, as well as other maritime communication systems such as those used in commercial shipping and sea-rescue operations, and is all the more applicable to the United Kingdom and India because of their extensive coastline.

Dr Gunashekar will present the key findings of his Ph.D. research in the fourth of the series of Doctoral Inaugural Lectures.

ANI