# A Clutter Loss Model for Satellite Communication Systems
## 8 Conclusions  
This paper presents a new model valid up to the frequency of 10 GHz aimed at providing reliable clutter loss predictions in the wireless communication system design process. The proposed model relies on the stochastic approach presented in Report ITU-R P.2402-0, but with some crucial differences: the calculation of the diffraction loss and reflection loss is underpinned by solid physical assumptions. Further, the model adds the effect of the building material, the wave polarization angle and the non-orthogonal incidence of the ray on the building. In addition, rays with a negative elevation angle, i.e., reaching the satellite after ground reflection, are also included. Finally, the overall clutter loss is calculated differently depending on the scenario, i.e., considering just a direct ray undergoing only diffraction loss (LoS case) or by taking into account that a single ray may split into two rays after the first reflection, whose losses are afterwards recombined before reaching the satellite. The proposed methodology was applied to two different scenarios, namely, Melbourne and London, using the input statistics included in Report ITU-R P.2402. The authors believe that the proposed model offers more realistic predictions of the expected clutter loss, not only because of the physical concepts underpinning the main elements of the model (e.g., effect of different materials, use of TE and TM wave polarizations), but  
Figure 17: Cumulative distribution function statistics of the clutter loss obtained with the ray tracer tool (dashed line) and with the proposed model, for different elevation angles. also because it also takes into account reflection from the ground, which is key to properly modeling the interference effects of real base stations. In addition, a comparison with the results of ray-tracing simulations is proposed: the satisfactory agreement of the clutter loss statistics obtained from the two different simulation approaches corroborates the representativeness of the proposed model. Given its mixed physical-statistical nature, the proposed model allows for faster calculations when compared to the classical ray-tracing approach; moreover, it can also be parameterized for higher-frequency bands. Future work includes the extension of the model applicability to other 5G frequency bands (e.g., around 28 GHz) by also considering the effects of diffuse scattering due to surface roughness (which emerges more as the frequency increases) and by using the proper electromagnetic material parameters (\(\varepsilon\) and \(\sigma\)) at such bands. [PERSON] contributed to the design of the Monte Carlo simulation, to the development of the software, to the simulations, to the comparison with Report ITU-R P.2402-0 and to the model validation; he also derived the analytical model. [PERSON] contributed to the design of the Monte Carlo simulation, to the assessment of the electromagnetic properties of the ground and building materials and to the development of the software. [PERSON] contributed to the development of the software, to the comparison with Report ITU-R P.2402-0 and to the simulations. [PERSON] and [PERSON] contributed to the identification of the interference problem, to the design of the simulations and to the supervision of the work. [PERSON] and [PERSON] contributed to the model validation. [PERSON] supervised the work. All authors contributed to the text. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research was funded within the program of the Joint Research Lab of Politecnico di Milano and Huawei Technologies Italia. The data analyzed in this study comes from Monte Carlo simulations and are slightly different for each simulation. Data sharing is not applicable to this article. The research was carried out in the framework of the Huawei-Politecnico di Milano Joint Research Lab. Some authors are currently Huawei Technologies employees.