Physics-based models for communications in random complex propagation media, including keyhole effects in MIMO

AbstractExtensive research has been reported on MIMO systems for complex environments. It is noted that many communications studies make use of the channel matrix of transmitters and receivers, signal vectors, SNR, and eigenvalues. However, the channel matrix is often expressed in terms of channel modeling, and the detailed statistical characteristics of the channel in terms of physical characteristics of atmospheric turbulence, particulate matter, and rough surfaces and terrain are often not explicitly shown. This paper discusses the inclusion of expressions of physical characteristics of the random medium in the channel matrix. Therefore, the key point of this paper is that the channel matrix is explicitly given in terms of the actual physical parameters of the random environment using the mutual coherence function and stochastic Green’s functions; we call this a ‘physics-based’ communications model. This paper presents a formulation of physics-based communications models in the presence of a random medium based on analytical statistical EM theory. We use the keyhole MIMO as an example to show the key points of this approach. It is hoped that this study may help extend channel modeling to include analytical statistical EM theory for atmospheric turbulence, ocean turbulence, and rough terrain.KEYWORDS: Channel capacitycommunicationsMIMOrandom media AcknowledgementsThe careful assistance and insights of John Ishimaru are gratefully appreciated.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).