A Markov Model for Correlated Land Mobile Satellite Channels

Some of the planned new satellite communication systems will use satellite diversity, i.e. simultaneous transmission via two or more satellites, in order to enhance the quality of service. Starting from two-state Markov models for two separate land mobile satellite channels, a combined model for two channels is developed, which takes into account their statistical interdependence. The parameters of this model as well as the resulting service quality are analytically derived; they depend on the statistics of the separate channels and on their correlation coefficient. Numerical examples for the unavailability of service illustrate the influence of the correlation coefficient on the benefit of satellite diversity and give some insight into the possible range of improvement.