Update on the Update on the Survey of the Active Scientific Survey of the Active Scientific

Use of the Radio SpectrumUse of the Radio Spectrum

Fall Meeting of the Committee on Radio FrequenciesOctober 18, 2014

Amherst, MA

David Lang, BPA Staff

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How did the new study and How did the new study and committee committee

come about?come about?

• Request from NASA Assoc. Admin. for SCaN following Spectrum Management for Science in the 21st Century.

• Details on the Scope and approach of study were developed through discussions with the BPA’s standing Committee on Radio Frequencies, NASA, and NSF. Approved by the NRC’s Governing Board.

• Current study is supported by NASA.

Why are we asked to do it?Why are we asked to do it?

• To support the presidential initiative for Spectrum Management for the 21st Century, a presentation of current and future needs of scientific users of the spectrum is in order. 

• The increased demand for access to the radio spectrum has led to discussions in both government and industry about new ways of thinking about spectrum allocation and use.

• Scientific users of the radio spectrum (such as radio astronomers and earth scientists using remotely sensed data) have an important stake in the policies that result from this activity.

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Statement of TaskThe committee will prepare a report exploring the scientific uses of the radio spectrum by radio frequency transmissions and the measurement thereof. In carrying out the study, the committee will:

1.Describe the science that is currently being conducted using the radio spectrum for transmission and measurement of these active signals and identify the spectrum requirements necessary to conduct this research;2.Identify the anticipated future spectrum requirements necessary to continue to conduct and expand this research for the next 10-20 years, taking into account trends in overall active use of the spectrum;3.Discuss the value to the nation of accommodating the active scientific use of the spectrum, recognizing the need to balance the needs of multiple communities; 4.Assess the active science communities' current and anticipated future access to the spectrum required for research; and5.Recommend strategies to accommodate the continued active use of the spectrum for scientific purposes in order to maintain the needed science capabilities identified above.

The committee will comment on the spectrum use by the relevant scientific communities for applications such as active microwave remote sensing (i.e., airborne and space-based radars) of Earth to observe environmental phenomena, incoherent scatter radar studies of the Earth's ionosphere and radar astronomy of Solar System objects, but will not make recommendations on the allocation of specific frequencies. The committee will not make recommendations on communications operations (i.e., transmission of data) that support the scientific uses of the spectrum described above. The committee should consider proven and potential unilateral and cooperative mitigation techniques in its analysis of access to spectrum.

MembershipMembership

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Fawwaz Ulaby, U. Michigan (NAE), Chair

Susan Avery, Woods Hole Oceanographic InstituteColeman Bazelon, The Brattle GroupWilliam Bristow, U. Alaska-FairbanksDonald Campbell, Cornell University Marie Colton, NOAA /GLERLSandra Cruz-Pol, U. Puerto Rico-MayaguezLennard Fisk, U. Michigan (NAS)Albin Gasiewski, U. Colorado-BoulderJeffrey Herd, MIT Lincoln LabLinwood Jones, U. Central FloridaPaul Kolodzy, Kolodzy ConsultingRobert Palmer, U. OklahomaDean Paschen, First RF Co.Michael Spencer, JPL

David Long, BYU, consultant

First MeetingFirst MeetingSpeakers

• NASA Spectrum Management and Earth Science

• JPL

• NSF Spectrum Management

• DARPA

• FCC, NTIA

Milestones

• Report outline was drafted and discussed

• RFI identified as a topic in need of much further study

• “Orphan areas” identified

• Identified speakers for next meeting

RFI WorkshopRFI Workshop

• During the first meeting of the cmte, RFI emerged as an important topic that the cmte should learn more about.

• Even though a few RFI studies have been reported, no comprehensive evaluation across the various microwave and millimeter exits at the present time.

Second MeetingSecond MeetingTopics• Report from RFI workshop• DLR (Germany)• Spectrum economics• Weather, atmospheric, and ionospheric radars• Radar astronomy• Telecomms capacity expansion options

Milestones• Report writing assignments given• Identified speakers for next meeting • Discussed preliminiary conclusions and recs

Third MeetingThird MeetingTopics• Another perspective on the future of wireless

communications networking• Reports from the Chapter Leads

Milestones• Chapter drafts reviewed and discussed• Completion schedule outlined

Fourth MeetingFourth MeetingTopics• Focus on spectrum allocation and access issues, and

RFI• Tour of WHOI

Milestones• Discussion and synthesis of findings and

recommendations• Decided on findings and recommendations

Report StructureReport Structure1. Introduction

2. Active sensing of the atmosphere

3. Active Earth remote sensing for ocean applications

4. Active Earth remote sensing for land surface applications

5. Active remote sensing for ionospheric and space studies

6. Planetary radar astronomy

7. Spectrum access: allocation policies and assignment process

8. Radio frequency interference issues for active sensing instruments

9. Technology and the opportunities for interference mitigation

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Study Schedule (1)Study Schedule (1)• First meeting: Aug 15-16, 2013

– Getting educated

• RFI Workshop: Nov 8, 2013• Second meeting: Nov 14-15, 2013

– Second set of speakers– Report from the RFI Workshop– Outline and writing assignments

• Third meeting: Feb 10-11, 2014 (in DC)– Discuss preliminary report– Propose changes/edits

• Fourth Meeting: ~June 2014 (in Woods Hole)– Finalize report

Study Schedule (2)Study Schedule (2)

• Send draft report to reviewers: October 2014• Respond to reviewers’ comments: November-December

2014• Release report : Dec/Jan 2014

Thank You!

Any Questions?