Remote Sensing and Skywave Digital Communication from Antarctica

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the research activities undertaken by La Salle and the Ebro Observatory in the field of remote sensing. On 2003 we started a research project with two main objectives: implement a long-haul oblique ionospheric sounder and transmit the data from remote sensors located at the Spanish Antarctic station Juan Carlos I to Spain. The paper focuses on a study of feasibility of two possible physical layer candidates for the skywave link between both points. A DS-SS based solution and an OFDM based solution are considered to achieve a reliable low-power low-rate communication system between Antarctica and Spain.

Keywords

• Antarctica
• remote sensing
• ionosphere
• geomagnetism
• oblique sounding
• skywave communications
• DS-SS
• OFDM