Caroline Bes

Improving satellite services with cooperative communications

SUMMARY This paper proposes new transmission schemes for the delivery of satellite services. In the proposed scenarios, mobile terminals are allowed to forward the signal received from the satellite. This scheme provides spatial diversity just like MIMO transmission schemes. Moreover, the coverage area is extended because masked terminals have an additional opportunity to get the service from neighboring terminals. We use the paradigm of cooperative communications to compare the advantages and limitations of several scenarios in hybrid terrestrial/satellite systems. In particular, we study the following basic transmission scheme: in a first time slot, the satellite sends its signal and, in a second time slot, mobile terrestrial terminals are relaying the satellite signal. An analysis framework is proposed and applied to this cooperation scenario at the destination terminal. The framework is modeling the cooperation process and clearly separates the control part from the data user part. The paper outlines the importance of the control part by evaluating the relay selection policy on a basic hybrid satellite/ad hoc system. Copyright

Enabling realistic cross-layer analysis based on satellite physical layer traces

We present a solution to evaluate the performance of transport protocols as a function of link layer reliability schemes (i.e. ARQ, FEC and Hybrid ARQ) applied to satellite physical layer traces. As modelling such traces is complex and may require approximations, the use of real traces will minimise the potential for erroneous performance evaluations resulting from imperfect models. Our Trace Manager Tool (TMT) produces the corresponding link layer output, which is then used within the ns-2 network simulator via the additionally developed ns-2 interface module. We first present the analytical models for the link layer with bursty erasure packets and for the link layer reliability mechanisms with bursty erasures. Then, we present details of the TMT tool and our validation methodology, demonstrating that the selected performance metrics (recovery delay and throughput efficiency) exhibit a good match between the theoretical results and those obtained with TMT. Finally, we present results showing the impact of different link layer reliability mechanisms on the performance of TCP Cubic transport layer protocol.

Effect of Residual Channel Estimation Errors in Random Access Methods for Satellite Communications

In recent random access methods used for satellite communications, collisions between packets are not considered as destructive. In fact, to deal with the collision problem, successive interference cancellation is performed at the receiver. Generally, it is assumed that the receiver has perfect knowledge of the interference. In practice, the interference term is affected by the transmission channel parameters, i.e., channel attenuation, timing offsets, frequency offsets and phase shifts, and needs to be accurately estimated and canceled to avoid performance degradation. In this paper, we study the performance of an enhanced channel estimation technique combining estimation using an autocorrelation based method and the Expectation-Maximization algorithm integrated in a joint estimation and decoding scheme. We evaluate the effect of residual estimation errors after successive interference cancellation. To validate our experimental results, we compare them to the Cramer-Rao lower bounds for the estimation of channel parameters in case of superimposed signals.

Estimation of Timing Offsets and Phase Shifts between Packet Replicas in MARSALA Random Access

Multi-replicA decoding using corRelation baSed LocALisAtion (MARSALA) is a recent random access technique designed for satellite return links. It follows the multiple transmission and interference cancellation scheme of Contention Resolution Diversity Slotted Aloha (CRDSA). In addition, at the receiver side, MARSALA uses autocorrelation to localise replicas of a same packet so as to coherently combine them. Previous work has shown good performance of MARSALA with an assumption of ideal channel state information and perfectly coherent combining of the different replicas of a given packet. However, in a real system, synchronisation errors such as timing offsets and phase shifts between the replicas on separate timeslots will result in less constructive combining of the received signals. This paper describes a method to estimate and compensate the timing and phase differences between the replicas, prior to their combination. Then, the impact of signal misalignment in terms of residual timing offsets and phase shifts, is modeled and evaluated analytically. Finally, the performance of MARSALA in realistic channel conditions is assessed through simulations, and compared to CRDSA in various scenarios.

Error budget of the MEthane Remote LIdar missioN (MERLIN) and its impact on the uncertainties of the global methane budget.

MEthane Remote LIdar missioN (MERLIN) is a German-French space mission, scheduled for launch in 2024 and built around an innovative light detecting and ranging instrument that will retrieve methane atmospheric weighted columns. MERLIN products will be assimilated into chemistry transport models to infer methane emissions and sinks. Here the expected performance of MERLIN to reduce uncertainties on methane emissions is estimated. A first complete error budget of the mission is proposed based on an analysis of the plausible causes of random and systematic errors. Systematic errors are spatially and temporally distributed on geophysical variables and then aggregated into an ensemble of 32 scenarios. Observing System Simulation Experiments are conducted, originally carrying both random and systematic errors. Although relatively small (±2.9 ppb), systematic errors are found to have a larger influence on MERLIN performances than random errors. The expected global mean uncertainty reduction on methane emissions compared to the prior knowledge is found to be 32%, limited by the impact of systematic errors. The uncertainty reduction over land reaches 60% when the largest desert regions are removed. At the latitudinal scale, the largest uncertainty reductions are achieved for temperate regions (84%) and then tropics (56%) and high latitudes (53%). Similar Observing System Simulation Experiments based on error scenarios for Greenhouse Gases Observing SATellite reveal that MERLIN should perform better than Greenhouse Gases Observing SATellite for most continental regions. The integration of error scenarios for MERLIN in another inversion system suggests similar results, albeit more optimistic in terms of uncertainty reduction.

Enhancement of MARSALA random access with coding schemes, power distributions and maximum ratio combining

Several random access (RA) techniques have been proposed recently for the satellite return link. The main objective of these techniques is to resolve packets collisions in order to enhance the limited throughput of traditional RA schemes. In this context, Multi-Replica Decoding using Correlation based Localisation (MARSALA) has been introduced and has shown good performance with DVB-RCS2 coding scheme and equi-powered transmissions. However, it has been shown in the literature that alternative coding schemes and packets power distributions can have a positive impact on RA performance. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate the behaviour of MARSALA with various coding schemes and various packet power distributions, then we propose a configuration for optimal performance. This paper also introduces the enhancement of MARSALA RA scheme by adding MRC to optimize replicas combination and study the impact on the throughput. We compare two different MRC techniques and we evaluate, via simulations, the gain achieved using MRC with different coding schemes and unbalanced packets. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed enhancements to MARSALA show substantial performance gain, i.e. throughput achieved for a target Packet Loss Ratio (PLR).

Extending satellite service availability through energy efficient cooperation

In this paper, we address the design of a cooperative protocol for a hybrid satellite/terrestrial emergency system. We want to perform energy savings compared to the case where all the terrestrial relay nodes are forwarding satellite messages to ground receivers. This is done via the selection of relevant relay nodes. The parameterization of the protocol phases has been done through simulations and takes into account the duration of the selection process, the number of selected nodes, and the signaling overhead. The selection process based on a node identifier (ID) appears to provide greater energy savings compared to the selection process based on the signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR). The solutions have been implemented in the real case scenario of forest fire that has been thoroughly documented by the US administration. According to the scenario parameters, 100% of the masked nodes are reached after cooperation.

Safety aeronautical communications by satellite: create or recycle? S-UMTS and GMR recycling

Air traffic predictions show a steady increase of flights in the next twenty years. Eurocontrol forecasts a traffic increase between 55% and 90% in the ECAC area. Current ATM procedures cannot cope with the predicted number of traffic. In order to deal with the increasing number of flights, ATM global concept needs to evolve. Strategic air traffic management will replace the tactical procedures. The interaction between the aircrafts and the air traffic control centers will be necessary to organize the traffic flow. Current voice communications cannot support the new communications requirements, so new communications systems must be investigated to fulfill the new communication services requirements. SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) proposed the operational concept at the end of the first phase of the program. This operational concept will rely on a dual link communications architecture composed by a terrestrial and a satellite system for EnRoute and TMA (Terminal Maneuvering Area). Current satellite systems do not seem well fitted to provide the requirements in terms of availability or latency, therefore, new systems must be proposed. Creating a new communications protocol could be a lot of work, so we propose to evaluate existing satellite protocols to evaluate their performance face to safety air communications.

Evolution of LDACS protocol to support safety aeronautical communications by satellite

Air traffic growth will probably lead the terrestrial ATM communication means to saturation around 2015-2025. The ATM needs are evolving to propose solutions that allow to cope with the future air traffic. In Europe, the SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) program is leading the evolution to the new operational concept for the European ATM. In this framework, new communications systems are under study to ensure the future communication services that will not be supported by the current systems, mainly based on VHF radio communications. Taking into account the safety and security requirements that aeronautical community imposes to any new system, it is necessary to start the definition of the new communication means to be ready in the required timeframe. Satellite communications will probably play a role in the future air communications infrastructure. Current satellite communications standards that are used in air communications do not fit to the requirements announced by the aviation community. In this paper, it is presented how a terrestrial safety communications protocol (AMACS) could be modified to satisfy satellite constraints. AMACS has been proposed as candidate for terrestrial communications in L band within the frame of SESAR.