# Outline of radio science

One way of outlining the subject of radio science is listing the topics associated with it by authoritative bodies.

## Union of Radio Science International (URSI)

The International Union of Radio Science has several commissions corresponding to the following topics of interest:
* Commission A – Electromagnetic metrology
** Antennas
** Atomic-based mechatronics
** Bioeffects and medical applications
** Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and EM metrology
** High-frequency and millimeter wireless metrology
** Impulse radar
** Interconnect and packaging
** Materials
** Measurements and calibration in propagation
** Microwave to sub-millimeter measurements/standards
** Noise
** Quantum metrology and fundamental concepts
** Space plasma characterization
** Techniques for remote sensing
** Test facilities
** Tetrahertz (THz) metrology
** Time and frequency
** Time-domain metrology
* Commission B – Fields and waves
** Antenna arrays
** Antennas: recent advances and future outlook
** Antenna theory
** design and measurements
** Cognitive radio
** Complex media
*** bandgap structures
*** biological
*** geophysical media
*** metamaterials
*** and others
** Educational methods and tools
** Electromagnetic interaction and coupling
** Guided waves and waveguiding structures
** High-frequency techniques
** Imaging
** inverse scattering and remote sensing
** Mathematical modeling of electromagnetic problems
** Microstrip antennas and printed devices
** Multiphysics electromagnetics
** Nanoscale electromagnetics
** Nonlinear electromagnetics
** Numerical methods
*** differential-and integral-equation based
*** hybrid and other techniques
** Optical phenomena
** Optimization techniques in electromagnetics
** Propagation phenomena and effects
** Rough surfaces and random media
** Scattering and diffraction
** Theoretical electromagnetics
** THz antennas and propagation
** Transient fields effects and systems
** Ultra-wideband electromagnetics
** Wireless communications
* Commission C – Radiocommunication systems and signal processing
** Cognitive radio and software-defined radio
** Distributed sensor networks and sensors array processing
** Energy-efficient ("green") communications
** Information theory, coding, modulation and detection
** MIMO and MISO systems
** Novel radio communication systems
** Physics-based signal processing
** Radar target detection, localization, and tracking
** Radio localization and positioning
** Signal and image processing
** Spectrum and medium utilization
** Statistical signal processing of waves in random media
** Synthetic aperture and space-time processing
** Wireless networking
* Commission D – Electronics and photonics
** Broadband ubiquitous network
** Energy harvesting in wireless systems
** Fiber lasers and solid state lasers
** Graphene nanoelectronics applications
** Multi-physics modelling in radio frequency nanoelectronics
** Optical sensors and biosensors
** Plasmonics
** RF MEMS and NEMS
** Signal processing antennas
** 60 GHz electronics
** Trends in RFID for identification and sensing
** Trends in THz communications
* Commission E – Electromagnetic environment and interference
** Communication in the presence of noise
** Crosstalk
** Electromagnetic compatibility education
** Electromagnetic compatibility measurements and standards
** Electromagnetic noise of natural origin
** Electromagnetic radiation hazards
** High-power effects of transients on electronic systems
** Spectrum management and utilization
* Commission F – Wave propagation and remote sensing
** Propagation measurements/models for fixed and mobile links
** Measurements of fixed and mobile channels
** Propagation models
** Multipath mitigation
** Fixed terrestrial links: measurements and design strategies
** Surface/atmosphere interaction
** Dispersion/delay
** Effects of natural/man-made structures
** Outdoor to indoor propagation
** Multi link MIMO channels
** UWB channel characteristics, Small cell propagation
** Remote sensing of the Earth/planets by radio waves
** Passive sensing at millimeter wavelengths
** Interferometry and SAR
** Sensing of snow in open and forested environments
** Remote sensing of precipitation
** Atmospheric sensing
** Sensing of soil moisture and biomass
** Ocean and ice sensing
** Urban environments
** Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
** Underground imaging
** Propagation and remote sensing in complex and random media
* Commission G – Ionospheric radio and propagation
** Ionospheric imaging
** Ionospheric morphology
** Ionospheric modeling and data assimilation
** Radar and radio techniques for ionospheric diagnostics
** Space weather – radio effects
** Transionospheric radio propagation and systems effects
* Commission H – Waves in plasma
** Chaos and turbulence in plasma
** Plasma instabilities and wave propagation
** Spacecraft-plasma interactions
** Solar/planetary plasma interactions
** Wave-wave and wave-particle interactions
** Waves in laboratory plasmas
* Commission J – Radio astronomy
** Detection of short-duration transients
** Developments in array technology for radio astronomy
** New telescopes, techniques, and observations
** Radio frequency interference mitigation and spectrum usage
** Square Kilometre Array
** Timely technical tutorials
* Commission K – Electromagnetics in biology and medicine
** Biological effects
** Dosimetry and exposure assessment
** Electromagnetic imaging and sensing applications
** Human body interactions with antennas and other electromagnetic devices
** Therapeutic, rehabilitative, and other biomedical applications

## International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R)

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) has several study groups, each made of working parties, as follows:
* Study Group 1 – Spectrum management
** 1A: Spectrum engineering techniques
** 1B: Spectrum management methodologies and economic strategies
** 1C: Spectrum monitoring
* Study Group 3 – Radiowave propagation
** 3J: Propagation fundamentals
** 3K: Point-to-area propagation
** 3L: Ionospheric propagation and radio noise
** 3M: Point-to-point and Earth-space propagation
* Study Group 4 – Satellite services
** 4A: Efficient orbit/spectrum utilization for the fixed-satellite service (FSS) and broadcasting-satellite service (BSS)
** 4B: Systems, air interfaces, performance and availability objectives for the fixed-satellite service (FSS), broadcasting-satellite service (BSS) and mobile-satellite service (MSS), including IP-based applications and satellite news gathering (SNG)
** 4C: Efficient orbit/spectrum utilization for the mobile-satellite service (MSS) and the radiodetermination-satellite service (RDSS)
* Study Group 5 – Terrestrial services
** 5A: Land mobile service above 30 MHz (excluding IMT); wireless access in the fixed service; amateur and amateur-satellite services
** 5B: Maritime mobile service including the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS); the aeronautical mobile service and the radiodetermination service
** 5C: Fixed wireless systems; HF and other systems below 30 MHz in the fixed and land mobile services
** 5D: IMT systems (International Mobile Telecommunications)
* Study Group 6 – Broadcasting service
** 6A: Terrestrial broadcasting delivery
** 6B: Broadcast service assembly and access
** 6C: Programme production and quality assessment
* Study Group 7 – Science services
** 7A: Time signals and frequency standard emissions: Systems and applications (terrestrial and satellite) for dissemination of standard time and frequency signals
** 7B: Space radiocommunication applications: Systems for transmission/reception of telecommunicated and tele-metry data
** 7C: Remote sensing systems: for space operation and for space research
** 7D: Radio astronomy: remote sensing systems and applications for Earth exploration meteorology and planetary sensing.