2017 11th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP)
Addressing Scattering From Tree Canopies by PO
and MST for Aeronautical and Inland Waterways
Scenarios
Milan Kvicera1, Fernando Perez-Fontan2, Jonathan Israel3, Pavel Pechac1
1
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic, kvicemil@fel.cvut.cz,
pechac@fel.cvut.cz
2
Signal Theory and Communications Department, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain, fpfontan@tsc.uvigo.es
3
ONERA – The French Aerospace Lab, Toulouse, France, Jonathan.Israel@onera.fr
Abstract—A new model addressing scattering from tree
canopies is presented in this paper. The model is based on a
combination of physical optics (PO) and the multiple scattering
theory (MST) and provides significant improvements when
compared to the case when only MST is utilized, especially the
correct near field calculations. The model is validated against
MST at 2 GHz and 10 GHz for the case of an artificial scenario
and also against a set of experimental data obtained at 2 GHz
for a single isolated tree.
Index Terms—scattering, physical optics, multiple
scattering theory, vegetation.
I. INTRODUCTION
The presence of trees within a radiowave propagation
scenario can result in a serious deterioration of the received
signal at microwave frequencies [1]. However, analyzing
such scenarios thoroughly is very challenging and generally
possible only to a certain level of precision due to the fact
that even trees of the same kind differ by their dimensions,
not to mention the influence of wet leaves or wind [2].
Currently, Recommendation ITU-R P.833 [3] introduces
a number of different methods enabling to characterize the
effects of trees on radiowave propagation. This includes, for
example, a simple concept of specific attenuation in dB/m
for woodlands, the concept of radiative energy transfer
utilized together with ground reflection and diffraction
around a single canopy, or multiple scattering theory (MST)
allowing to account for different propagation angles towards
and from the canopy.
MST utilized in [3] is based on the works of Foldy, Lax
and Twersky [4]–[6] and utilizes [7]–[9]. Its sensitivity
analysis considering frequency, material parameters,
polarization, and canopy shape has been lately presented by
the authors in [10] where it was shown that MST calculations
are computationally very demanding due to the high-order
Hankel and Bessel functions summation and the required
canopy volume integration.
However, a great advantage of MST is that it enables to
obtain both the coherent and incoherent scattered fields [9]
where the coherent field dominates in the forwards scatter
direction and results in shadowing behind a canopy. It should
/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
also be noted that a complex propagation constant within the
canopy is obtained by MST.
In contrast to MST, a straightforward and
computationally efficient method for obtaining shadowing
behind electrically large objects is physical optics (PO).
Following [11], it is based on inducing equivalent currents
on the illuminated part of the object’s surface introducing the
so-called blockage fields which are then added to the direct
fields. However, a great disadvantage of PO is that, unlike
MST, it does not account for any field passing through
dielectric objects.
In this paper, we present a new model based on a
combination of PO and MST overcoming such limitations by
considering the complex propagation constant within the
canopy. Here, the electric and magnetic equivalent currents
induced on the inner part of a canopy are directly considered
acting as a radiating aperture accounting for diffraction
effects around it.
In addition, in contrast to the simple concept of specific
attenuation, the new model is characterized by smooth
transitions between line-of-sight (LoS) and shadowed areas.
Further, it is also capable to properly model the near field
effects close to the canopy.
We will demonstrate that the new proposed model
provides results in agreement with MST and experimental
data obtained at 2 GHz, In general, the model can also be
applied to high frequencies or even group of trees as only
surface sampling is required.
II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
A. Physical Optics
Assuming an incident plane wave , we may write for
a perfectly absorbing object [11]
̂  
̂  
where ̂ is the unit normal vector of the surface sample at
pointing outwards, and are the electric and magnetic
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equivalent surface currents and the incident magnetic field (̂ ̂ ) and the numerical integration in (12).
is related to as
III. PO/MST MODEL
( )̂   Following the theory introduced above, the new
combined PO/MST model for scattering from tree canopies
with ̂ being the unitary vector in the incident direction. [13] can be introduced. We may notice that in (8), the
The scattered electric and magnetic near fields at point resulting field equals if is added as
are can then be written as
. 
| |
∫ | | | |
 

| |
∫ | | | |
 

̂  

̂  

The scattered fields introduce blockage of the original

plane wave fields and and the resulting fields can
Fig. 1. The modified PO approach shown for a top view of a tree canopy.
be written as
Here, can be by PO obtained considering an
( )   opposite direction of ̂ (pointing inwards), thus representing
a radiating aperture.
( ) . The new PO/MST model is built on this modified PO
approach by keeping the field in the presence of the perfectly
B. Multiple Scattering Theory absorbing obstacle from (8) and adjusting the aperture
Considering two simplifications a) scattering paths going field based on the propagation constant valid inside the
through the same scatterer more than once are neglected and object. The resulting field is then written as
b) amplitude of incident field is constant over the canopy, the
field inside a canopy can be written as [8] and [10] ( ) . 

( ) * ( ) ( )+  As an example, for a completely transparent object

with ( ) being the distance through the canopy to
along ̂ and the complex propagation constant inside
the canopy defined as [7] and [8]
where (̂ ̂ ) is the canopy's equivalent scattering
amplitude per unit volume in the forward scatter direction
obtained e.g. as in [12].
The coherent scattered field is then
( |
〈 ( )〉 ∫ (̂ ̂ )
 
By performing the integration numerically, any shape of the
canopy can be addressed. The resulting shadowing behind
the canopy is then obtained as in (8) by adding the scattered
field to the direct field. However, the computational
demands become unwieldy especially for high frequencies
and large canopies mainly due to the calculations of
and we get , as expected. On the
other hand, a completely absorbing object results in
and thus , as expected.
Now the resulting new combined PO/MST model can be
presented in details using the top view of a canopy in Fig. 1.
(̂ ̂ )  Unlike the PO introduced in Section II.A., the inner part
of the canopy will be assumed to be illuminated by the
incident plane wave, see the solid green line in Fig. 1. Then,
can be applied based on the path through the canopy.
After that, (1)–(7) are followed to obtain the aperture
field. In this form, the model is very straightforward and with
low computation demands. It should be noted that the
blockage fields are obtained as in (1)–(9).
|)
| |
( ) . IV. VALIDATION
We should note that (11) is valid under the assumption
that the total field incident on a scatterer is equal to the mean
field [14]. Thus, the path through the canopy should be
below one or two skin depths. If we consider
at 10 GHz [3], the skin depth of about 4.3 m is
* + and the fact that
obtained following
the skin depth is the inverse of * + [15]. At 2 GHz, the

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skin depth would be about 21.7 m, which well justifies the
validity of the model for the simulations presented in this
paper.
First, we will validate the new model at 2 GHz and
10 GHz against MST for an artificial scenario of a single
isolated tree with a cylindrical canopy of radius 1 m and
height 2 m for the case of a perpendicularly incident plane
wave with vertical polarization. The resulting fields are
calculated in a straight line starting from behind the canopy
up to a distance of 500 wavelengths simulating receiver
movement away from the canopy. The same material
parameters, branches and leaves orientation and sizes as in
[3], [7], [8] and [10] were considered.
The differences between the new model and MST close
to the canopy are caused by the fact that the new model
correctly utilizes the near field propagator in (4) and (5)
whereas MST considers a far field approximation without
which it would be impossible to run.
Now, in Fig. 4, we may validate the model against an
experimental dataset obtained at 2 GHz for a single isolated
tree with the use of a remote controlled airship carrying a
transmitter pointing instantly towards a custom-made
5
0

-Excess loss (dB)

Following Fig. 2, we note a very nice match between the
-5
new PO/MST model and the MST model itself, which is also
the case of Fig. 3. The resulting attenuation behind the -10
canopy is about 2 dB and 4 dB at 2 GHz and 10 GHz,
respectively, corresponding to the specific attenuation -15
and
obtained from when multiplied by the path through the -20
canopy. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Y (m)
Measured PO/MST
2 GHz
Fig. 4. Total field at 2 GHz for a receiver moving away from the canopy
2
in a line.
1
receiver located 10 m behind the canopy [13] which can be
E (dBV/m)

0
approximated by a sphere of 5 m radius with a center 6 m
-1
above the ground. Considering the airship altitude of about
-2 200 m and receiver height of 1.5 m, geometrical LoS exists
-3 up to a horizontal distance of about 150 m from the canopy.
-4
Following Fig. 4, we nicely see that the new PO/MST
0 20 40 60 80 model predicts zero attenuation within the LoS area, as
X (m)
expected, although the experimental data show signal
enhancements caused mainly by ground reflections, not
MST PO/MST included in the simulations. Behind the LoS region, the new
PO/MST model matches the experimental data very well,
Fig. 2. Total field at 2 GHz for a receiver moving away from the canopy despite the material parameters and branches and leaves
in a line. orientations and sizes were kept as in the previous
simulations and were not adjusted to the particular tree.
10 GHz The deep fades present in the experimental data were
caused by a combination of ground reflections and
0
interactions with individual main branches or trunk, now
-2
covered by the simulation.
E (dBV/m)

V. CONCLUSION
-4
A new model addressing scattering from tree canopies
-6
has been presented. The model is based on a combination of
PO and MST. The model was first validated at 2 GHz and
-8 10 GHz against MST using an artificial scenario with a
0 5 10 15 20 cylindrical canopy and then a validation against the
X (m) experimental dataset obtained at 2 GHz for a single isolated
MST PO/MST tree was shown as well. The main advantages of the model
were demonstrated as well, namely its significantly lower
computation demands when compared with MST, its
Fig. 3. Total field at 10 GHz for a receiver moving away from the canopy straightforward software implementation, the possibility to
in a line.

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properly address near fields and smooth transitions between

shadowed and LoS regions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by the Czech Science
Foundation grant No. P102/14-01527S 'Basic Research of
Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves in the Atmospheric
Boundary Layer for Low Elevation Links' and European
Association on Antennas and Propagation (EurAAP).
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