Improved receivers for generalized UWB transmitted reference systems

Three new receivers for generalized transmitted-reference ultra-wide bandwidth systems are proposed. The receivers are derived by optimally combining the channel estimates using the reference symbols, the data decisions and the data symbols. The structures are very simple. Simulation results show that they outperform previous receivers.     

Comparison of diversity with simple block coding on correlatedfrequency-selective fading channels

We investigate the effects of correlation on the performance of diversity systems in wideband wireless radio environments. Specifically, the average bit error rate (BER) performance of M-ary differential phase shift keying (MDPSK) on correlated frequency-selective slow Rayleigh fading channels is analyzed. A two-branch diversity receiver with postdetection equal gain combining is considered. Nyquist pulse shaping is used and differential detection is employed at the receiver. The effects of cochannel interference on the system performance are assessed using a Gaussian interference model. To further enhance the system performance, the effects of combined diversity and forward error correction (FEC) coding on the average BER are investigated. Results using short cyclic block codes with perfect bit interleaving are obtained. The effects of the root mean square (RMS) delay spread, the amount of correlation, and the level of modulation, M, on the average BER are investigated in detail for both coded and uncoded systems. The results show that dual branch diversity combining with a correlation coefficient of 0.5 outperforms (in terms of BER) short block codes with perfect bit interleaving, and that combined diversity and coding strategies are effective in combatting the effects of frequency-selective fading     

Robust Doppler spread estimation in nonisotropic fading channels

A new parametric approach is proposed for the estimation of the maximum Doppler frequency, or equivalently the mobile speed, in narrowband mobile radio channels. In this work, simple and efficient Doppler-frequency estimators are formulated based on using a small number of samples of the channel autocorrelation function. Unlike previous approaches, the chosen parameterization is shown to be robust in a microcellular propagation environment, which may be characterized by nonisotropic scattering and/or a specular component of unknown strength. Simulation results are described to illustrate the effects of additive noise and the finite data-record performance.     

Arsenate adsorption structures on aluminum oxide and phyllosilicate mineral surfaces in smelter-impacted soils

A clearer understanding of arsenic (As) retention and transport in forest soils impacted by copper smelter emissions may reduce risks to human health and provide insight into As behavior in the vadose zone. On Vashon-Maury Island in Puget Sound, As is predominantly associated with the fine (< 63 microm) fraction of surficial soils. X-ray diffraction of oriented samples from the < 2 microm size fraction indicate that clinochlore isthe dominant phyllosilicate. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was employed to examine As oxidation state and local coordination environment in impacted soil samples. Arsenic is present as As(V) in tetrahedral coordination with oxygen, associated with aluminum (Al) octahedra in bidentate binuclear (bridging) structures with As-Al distances of 3.15 - 3.16 angstroms. Including multiple scattering (MS) paths derived from the arsenate tetrahedron in esperanzaite significantly improved the match between XAS fine structure (EXAFS) data and models generated from theoretical phase and amplitude functions. The data are interpreted to indicate arsenate adsorption onto poorly crystalline aluminum oxyhydroxides and/or the edges of clinochlore interlayer hydroxyl sheets with constrained geometries causing MS to be important This implies that As initially released from the smelter as particulate As(III) and As(V) oxides was oxidized, dissolved, and adsorbed onto soil minerals and colloids; no evidence for relic arsenic oxide was observed. Physical transport of arsenic oxide particles and As adsorbed on soil colloids may account for limited downward migration of As within the soil column. The oxidizing and mildly acidic pH conditions in the upper vadose zone promote stable sorption complexes; barring substantial changes in soil chemistry, As is not expected to experience significant mobilization.     

On the generalized multinomial distribution, optimal multinomialdetectors, and generalized weighted partial decision detectors

The probability of a particular outcome of a multinomial trial may depend on the trial number. The generalized multinomial distribution describes such an experiment. A mathematical statement of the generalized multinomial distribution is given. The Neyman-Pearson optimum generalized multinomial detectors for deterministic signals are derived for both binary and M-ary signaling. The equivalence of the generalized multinomial detectors and generalized weighted partial decision detectors is shown. The author claims that the work of E.K. Al-Hussaini (see ibid., vol.37, p.1099, 1989) on generalized multinomial detectors contains certain errors     

A Unified Approach to Computing Error Probabilities of Diversity Combining Schemes over Correlated Fading Channels

The average bit-error rate performance of one-stage and two-stage diversity combining schemes operating over correlated fading channels is investigated. Two channel models that can significantly simplify the performance analysis are considered. In particular, a linear correlation channel model having equal branch variances can be decorrelated at the receiver, so that the branches become independent. It is shown that, in general, employing diversity combining schemes for decorrelated or orthogonalized branches can recover some of the diversity gain lost due to the branch correlations. This is observed, for example, for the case of hybrid selection/maximum ratio combining operating over decorrelated and orthogonalized non-zero mean Gaussian fading channels. Furthermore, a fading amplitude channel model is proposed assuming vector norm superposition of the impinging plane waves. This channel model is well-suited for the performance analysis of maximum ratio and equal gain combining schemes operating over correlated fading channels. Finally, the average bit error rates of several diversity combining schemes are evaluated analytically using the Prony approximation method as well as using computer simulation.     

Strict suboptimality of selection amplify-and-forward relaying under global channel information

Selection amplify-and-forward (SAF) relaying, which has been shown to be optimal under the constraints of localized channel information at the relays and a constant relay power allocation (PA) template, is shown to be globally strictly suboptimal. A necessary condition for the outage optimality of the SAF PA, and an exponentially vanishing upper bound on the probability of the SAF optimality are derived.     

Approximate performance analysis of coded OSTBC-OFDM systems over arbitrary correlated generalized ricean fading channels

A framework for analyzing the performance of coded OSTBC-OFDM systems over arbitrary correlated generalized Ricean fading channels is established. The moment generating function of the signal-to-noise ratio at the input to the channel decoder is derived assuming correlated transmitter and receiver antennas and correlated paths in frequency selective channels. The probability of outage, the pairwise error probability, and the bit error rate are then evaluated. Bit-interleaved and iteratively decoded turbo product codes, Gray encoded M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation, and other parameters of the IEEE 802.16 Standard are used to illustrate numerical results.