Citation
Abstract
This article presents statistics characterizing the frequency of precipitation at each Deep Space Communications Complex (DSCC). Monthly statistics derived from 10 to 17 years of observations are given for rain, snow, thunderstorms, and fog. Selection of reliable data sources and appropriate statistical measures are discussed. A framework is established for these statistics to be applied to existing telecommunications models. Sources of biases and errors are described and assessed. Yearly statistics show that the daily frequencies of rain at the Spanish and Australian DSCCs are similar. However, rainstorms in Australia last longer and have a very different seasonal dependence. Each year, the number of hours of measurable precipitation is 40 percent greater in Australia than in Spain. Daily precipitation at Goldstone is roughly a third of that reported by the other two DSCCs, with a mean incidence of 39 days of precipitation per year. Goldstone also has the greatest difference between hourly and daily occurrence statistics, yielding the shortest storms with an average of 4 hours per precipitation event. As expected, all three DSCCs show strong seasonal variations in precipitation patterns.
Details
- Volume
- 42-125
- Published
- May 15, 1996
- Pages
- 1–11
- File Size
- 249.2 KB