Atmospheric Attenuation

Radio waves traveling through the atmosphere can be absorbed by gasses, primarily Oxygen ($O_2$) and Water Vapor ($H_2O$).

Key Absorption Peaks

• 22 GHz: Water vapor resonance.
• 60 GHz: Oxygen resonance (98% attenuation, good for secure short-range links).

Rain Fade

Rain droplets scatter and absorb RF energy, especially at frequencies above 10 GHz. The specific attenuation (dB/km) depends on rain rate (mm/hr) and frequency.