Report on the URSI Commission E
Scientific Activities for the Period 1994-1996

V. Scuka, Commission Past Chairman
Institute of High Voltage Research
Uppsala University, Sweden

and

M. Hayakawa, Commission Chairman
Department of Electronic Engineering
The University of Electro- Communications
Chofu, Tokyo, Japan.

This triennium report was prepared by V. Scuka, and was revised by M. Hayakawa. We, Commission Members, would like to thank Dr. Scuka for his great efforts in organizing this report and also for his dedication to Commission E activity.

1. Chairpersons

The chair-persons of the Commission E during this triennium were: Chairman: Professor Viktor Scuka, Sweden Vice-Chairman:Professor Masashi Hayakawa, Japan

2. General Remarks

The scientific activities of our Commission are conducted through the URSI member country organizations and through the Commission E seven Working Groups which consist of the group chairmen and carefully selected members, experts in the relevant areas of research. Each working group is free to invite a certain number of WG-members based on the wanted scientific competence of the group. It is recommended to keep the number of group members at a level which can easily be communicated such that it can organize easily informal meetings. The chairmen of the groups are encouraged to organize different kinds of scientific activities on an international as well as on a national level. The chairmen are also responsible for informing the Commission chairman of all performed events and for providing the Commission chair with a written scientific and administrative report of the group activity in each triennium and with a plan of work for the next triennium. It is therefore very important that the working group chairmen are experienced in the relevant research area, are familiar with the conventional practices in the international cooperation and have a good support from their professional "home organization". Of primary importance is a high scientific competence in the area of the WG scientific program, and it is also desirable that the members of the WG cover a large geographical area. It is the duty of the Commission chairman to arrange distribution of the Triennium activity report of the Commission to all National Committees and to persons showing their active interest in the research of Commission E, and to encourage the National Committees to report on their national research and development in the relevant preferential areas of Commission E research. It is of high value that the chair persons of the Commission, the chairmen of the WGs and the WG members would visit some URSI member countries and give distinguished lectures on relevant scientific topics in the framework of URSI activity.

3. References of the research

Commission E promotes the research and development in the following areas:

  1. Terrestrial and planetary noise of natural origin and man-made noise.

  2. Composite noise environment.
  3. Effects of noise on system performance.
  4. Lasting effects of transients on equipment performance. This includes the nuclear electromagnetic impulse, NEMP and the effects of high power electromagnetic impulses.
  5. Scientific bases of noise and interferencecontrol.
  6. Spectrum utilization.
  7. EMC aspects of Earth's magnetic field in communications.

4. Scientific Working Groups

Commission E carries out its scientific activities by organizing the following Working Groups.

5. Reports of the Working Groups

5.1 WG E1: Spectrum Management and Utilization

Chairperson: Dr. Richard D. Parlow (USA) Prof. Ryszard Struzak (Switzerland)

5.1.1 Objective

The objective of the WG E1 is to bring important issues and technical work that can effect the development of radio communication services to the attention of the URSI scientific community. Through this process scientific work can be encouraged so that the spectrum management and scientific communities can benefit from this interchange of ideas, concepts and related research.

5.1.2 Work Program

WG E1 has been active in numerous meetings and symposia under the sponsorship of URSI. These meetings have spanned a broad range of locations and time frames. At each meeting sessions were organized and papers were presented by a host of contributors from the global community.

Topics included:

  • - spectrum management and utilization
  • - spread spectrum applications to communications
  • - personal communication services
  • - space applications and interference assessment
  • - national and international regulatory issues
  • - spectrum planning
  • - spectrum efficiency and modulation
  • - economic aspects of spectrum attribution
  • - private sector role in spectrum management
  • - technology, cost and implementation trade-offs.

    The goal in all of the sessions was to cover a number of topics that are cross disciplinary, that is of interest to the radio scientist, spectrum manager and the regulator. Through this process a range of ideas and views surface that otherwise could be exploited for mutual benefit.

    5.1.3 Work Methods

    Work methods will continue to be by correspondence, personal contacts and through encouragement of individuals with broad experience to participate in the activities of the WG E1.

    5.1.4 Past and Planned Activity

    Sessions were organized and presented at meetings that were fully or partially sponsored by URSI national or international organizations. The traditional EMC International meetings were the main venues for the working group sessions. In particular, sessions were presented at the following meetings:

    (a) International Zurich Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility

    1995:

  • R. G. Struzak; "Trends in Spectrum Management and Engineering",
  • Participation in the URSI Comm. E Open meeting. (b) Wroclaw Symposium on Elecromagnetic Compatibility

    1996:

  • Prof. R. G. Struzak was the Vice-chairman of the 13th Int'l Wroclaw Symposium and Exhibition on EMC, June 25-28, 1996
  • Prof. R. G. Struzak, Chairman of Plenary Session I: "EMC - Globalization: The Role of Scientific Societies".
  • Prof. R. G. Struzak, Chairman of Session M, "Spectrum Management, Engineering, Sharing, Monitoring" with 5 oral presentations.
  • Plenary Session II: Prof. R. G. Struzak, "Key Issues in Spectrum Management"

    (c) US National URSI Symposium in Boulder, Colorado

    (d) URSI GA in Lille 1996:

  • Scientific Session on "Spectrum Management and Utilization" under chairmanship of R. D. Parlow and R. G. Struzak with 10 oral presentations".

  • R. D. Parlow; "The World Radio Conference of 1995 - Results and Observations".

  • R. G. Struzak, "Key Issues in Spectrum Management"

    (e) COMMSPHERE-2: Consideration is being given to the organization of a round table session on key spectrum management, technical and regulatory issues that influence the timely development of global, regional and/or national telecommunication infrastructures.

    5.1.5 Mailing address

    Richard D. Parlow
    Associate Administrator
    National Telecommunications
    VD and Information Administration
    Rm. 4099
    14th and Constitution, N. W.
    Washington, D. C. 20230
    U. S. A.
    Phone:+1 202 482-1850
    Fax: +1 202 482-4396

    Prof. Dr. R. G. Struzak
    Grand Rue
    CH-1262 Eysins
    Switzerland
    Phone: +41 22 3610831
    Fax: +41 22 3610831

    5.2 WG E2: Non-Gaussian Noise in Communication

    Chairperson: Dr. A. D. Spaulding+ (USA)

    +Remark by Comm. Ch.: Dr. A. D. Spaulding passed away in 1995.

    5.2.1 Objective

    Effect of noise (interference) on system performance, and means of overcoming the degrading effects of noise signal processing to combat noise system design in the presence of non-Gaussian interference.

    5.2.2 Work Program

    Membership in the WG varies, as needed.

    Members in the period 1990-1993: D. Middleton, S. Giordano, G. Hagn, T. Roberts, S. Mackis, V. Kontorovic, and G. Boronichev.

    5.2.3 Work Methods

    Work methods will continue to be by correspondence and personal contacts. Participation in international meetings, such as EMC Symposium in Zurich and in Wroclaw.

    5.2.4 Past and Planned Activities

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    5.2.5 A new chairman of the WG E2 is to be proposed:

    5.3 WG E3: High Power Electromagnetics

    Chairperson: Dr. R. L. Gardner (USA)

    5.3.1 Objective

    The objective of the WG E3 is to encourage research in high power electromagnetics.

    5.3.2 Work Program

    Membership in the WG varies, as needed. The WG is supported by the Permanent NEM Committee, USNC of URSI Commission E, various HPM working groups and individuals.

    5.3.3 Work Methods

    Informal organization of various members organizing sessions on HPE.

    5.3.4 Past and planned Activities

    Activities of the High Power Electromagnetics WG E3 over the last three years have revolved around several recurring technical meetings.

    5.3.5 Mailing address

    Dr. Robert L. Gardner
    Philips Laboratory PL/WST
    Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-6008
    U. S. A.
    Phone: +1 505 846-5653/0879/9822
    Fax: +1 505 846-9900

    5.4 WG E4: Terrestrial and Planetary Electromagnetic Noise

    Co-Chairpersons:Dr. Z-I. Kawasaki (Japan), Prof. E. K. Smith (USA), Dr. J. Gavan (Israel)

    5.4.1 Objective

    5.4.2 Work Methods

    Cooperation with different scientific groups is planned to be established.

    Newsletter:A list of member scientists from different countries is established.

    5.4.3 Work Program;

    Part A - Terrestrial and planetary electromagnetical noise

    (a) Characterization of terrestrial EM noise:

  • -General characteristics of terrestrial noise of natural and man-made origin; ground and satellite measurements.
  • -Statistical description and modelling of terrestrial EM noise of both origins.
  • -Physical processes and mechanisms included in the generation of terrestrial noise.
  • -Effects of terrestrial noise on communications, biological systems, etc.

    (b) Characterization of planetary EM noise:

  • -General characteristics of planetary EM noise environment; measurements and modelling.
  • -Physical processes and mechanisms involved in the generation of planetary EM waves.
  • -Comparison of planetary noise environment with terrestrial environment. (c) EMC Zurich 1995:

  • -Z-I. Kawasaki; "Terrestrial and planetary natural EM noise" given at the URSI Comm. E Open Meeting.
  • -J. Gavan, "Interference Intrasystem Effects for Nano-and Pico-Cell Personal Communication",
  • (d) EMC Wroclaw 1996:

  • -J. Gavan "Co-sited Radio Systems Interference Effects Analysis and Computation"
  • - Session B on "ESD, Lightning, EMP" chaired by V. Scuka with 4 oral presentations and 1 poster.
  • - Session D "Terrestrial EM Noise" chaired by M. Hayakawa with 5 oral presentations.

    5.4.4 Work Program;

    Part B - Natural Noise Above 30 MHz

    5.4.5 Past and Planned Activity

    Topics of major importance will be selected and international cooperation on these topics will be promoted. A list of selected topics:

    (a) New results of terrestrial EM noise:

    (b) Direction finding of radio noise:

    (c) URSI GA in Lille, 1996:

    (d) A joint workshop between WG E4 and WG E7 was held in 1994 in Tokyo with the aim to establish an international cooperation.

    (e)Wroclaw EMC-Symposium 1996:

    (f) Zen-Ichiro Kawasaki "Report of the WG E4: Terrestrial and planetary electromagnetic noise", March 1996. The report gives a review of the research in the relevant field of the WG E4 displayed in the following sections: - Lightning:Terrestrial lightning Cloud to ionospheric discharges

    Planetary lightning, discharges and emissions - Natural noise environment: Terrestrial noise - Ionospheric and magnetospheric Radio emission associated with earthquakes Extraterrestrial and cosmic noise

    - References; 58 in total.

    5.4.6 Mailing address

    Dr. Z-I. Kawasaki
    Department of Electric Engineering
    Osaka University
    2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita 565
    Japan
    Phone:+81 6-879-760
    Fax: +81 6-875-0506

    Professor M. Hayakawa
    Department of Electronic Engineering
    The University of Electro-Communications
    1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu-shi
    Tokyo 182
    Japan
    Phone:+81 424-83-2161 ext. 3354
    Fax: +81 424-89-5861

    Prof. E. K. Smith
    Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
    University of Colorado
    Campus Box 425
    Boulder, Colorado 80309-0425
    U. S. A.
    Phone:+1 303 492-7327
    Fax: +1 303 492-2758

    Dr. J. Gavan
    Center for Technological Education Holon
    Electrical and Electronic Dept.
    52 Golomb Str.
    P. O. Box 305
    Holon 58102
    Israel
    Phone:+972 3 5051181

    5.5 WG E5

    Interaction with and Protection of Complex Systems
    Co-Chairpersons:Dr. C. Baum, USA, Prof. P. Degauque, France, Prof. M. Ianoz, Switzerland

    5.5.1 Objective

    To study the effects of ground on electromagnetic coupling phenomena and to study the coupling of electromagnetic waves through the structures.

    5.5.2 Work program

    (a) Effect of Ground

    (b) Coupling to Structures

    (c) Coupling of HF-Waves; 1 GHz and above

    5.5.3 Work Methods

    Personal communication, symposia, lectures, papers in scientific journals, membership.

    (a) Organizing conferences, symposia and participating in scientific committees of international conferences, reviewing scientific papers for international journals, giving invited lectures and consultations to differen research groups. (b) A special forum has been established for selecting the "EMP Fellows". A list is presented by C. Baum giving the names, date of election and citation for each EMC Fellow. On the latest list for 1996 includes 55 members.

    (c) A "Best HPE Paper Awards Committee" has been established. The Committee members for 1996:

    - Dr. Carl E. Baum, Philips Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87117, U. S. A.

    -Dr. Kelvin S. H. Lee (Chair), Kaman Sciences Corporation, 2800 28th Street, Suite 370, Santa Monica, CA 90405, U. S. A.

    -Dr. Diminique Serafin, Centre d'Etude de Gramat, Gramat, France

    The awards were given out at the AMEREM `96 Conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 27-31, 1996:

    - Best Basic Paper Award:

    William J. Karzas, "Back Door Coupling of RF (Microwave) Energy to Spacecraft Interior Cabling," Interaction Notes, Note 513, February 1994.

    - Best Applied Paper Award:

    J. P. Parmantier, V. Gobin, F. Issac; I. Junqua, Y. Daudy, J. M. Lagarde, "An Application of the Electromagnetic Topology Theory on the Test-Bed Aircraft, EMPTAC," Interaction Notes, Note 506, November 1993.

    5.5.4 Past and Planned Activity

    5.5.5 New Trends

    5.5.6 Mailing address

    Dr. Carl E. Baum
    Weapons Lab./NTAAB
    Kirtland Airforce Base
    New Mexico 87117-6008
    U. S. A.
    Phone:+1 505 844 9816
    Fax: +1 505 844 3888

    Prof. Pierre M. Degauque
    Universite des Sciences et Techniques de Lille
    Departement Electronique
    F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cdx
    France
    Phone:+33 2043 4849
    Fax: +33 2043 6523

    Prof. M. Ianoz
    Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
    LRE/DE Ecublens
    1015 Lausanne
    Switzerland
    Phone:+41 21 693 2664
    Fax: +41 21 693 4660

    5.6 WG E6: Effects of Transients on Equipment
    Co-Chairpersons:Prof. V. Scuka, Sweden; Prof. B. Demoulin, France

    5.6.1 Objective

    The objective of the WG E6 is to study the phenomena associated with the electromagnetic waves, radiated and conducted, interaction with equipment, further to develop models describing the electrical characteristics of components under extreme operational conditions, to provide physical understanding of the associated processes, and to develop methods by which a controlled design of safety electronics will be possible.

    5.6.2 Work Program

    It has been recognized that there exists a need of modernization of the design of digital and analog circuits, which are exposed to disturbing electromagnetic interactions. Models and equivalent circuits, which take into account the properties of the components working outsided normal specified working conditions, have to bed developed. The manufacturers of equipments do not, in general, provide the characteristics of equipments for the extreme conditions caused by electrical transients. It is necessary to specify which additional measurementsd should be performed so that we will be able to predict the behavior of the equipment under electrically stressed conditions. Further, the level of the reliability of electronic systems is today often defined by the electrical environment, and we have to find methods which more accurately determine these levels.

    5.6.3 Work Methods

    Personal communications, presenting papers in scientific journals, participation in symposia. Continued cooperation between the groups of scientists in Lille and Uppsala with the ambition to later include also other groups into this cooperation. Cooperation in special topics with WG E5 is expected.

    5.6.4 Past and Planned Activity

    (a) The results of the work has been reviewed at an open meeting of URSI Commission E at the EMC-Symposium in Zurich 1995 and at the EMC-Symposium and Exhibition in Wroclaw, 1996.
    (b) A paper has been published in the URSI issue of Review of Radio Science 1996.

    (c) V. Scuka has actively contributed to the work of IEC TC 81

    (d) V. Scuka has organized sessions on lightning protection at the International Conference on Lightning Protection, ICLP in Budapest, Hungary 1994 and Florence, Italy 1996. (e)V. Scuka was member of the Scientific Committee of the EMC-Symposium in Bejing 1994.

    (f) A scientific session has been organized at the GA in Lille, France, 1996.

    (g)The WG E6 will also participate in the future in different EMC-Symposia.

    5.6.5 Mailing Address

    Prof. V. Scuka
    Institute of High Voltage Research
    Uppsala University
    Husbyborg, S-752 28 Uppsala
    Sweden
    Phone:+46 18 545591
    Fax: +46 18 502619

    Prof. B. Demoulin
    Lille University
    Electronic Dept.
    F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq
    France
    Phone:+33 2043 4856
    Fax: +33 2043 6523

    5.7 WG E7: Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Meteoro-electric Environment with Noise and Chaos
    Chairperson:Prof. H. Kikuchi (Japan)

    5.7.1 Objective

    5.7.2 Work Program

    Coordination of the program with other working groups, e.g. WG E4 and with other URSI Commissions and with the Commission of Atmospheric Electricity of IAMAP.

    5.7.3 Work Method

    Participation in different EMC-Symposia. Organizing special topics symposia and workshops. Personal communication with interested scientists. A list of interested members has been established*. * The list has not yet reached the Chairman of the Commission, August2, 1996.

    5.7.4 Results

  • (1) Cosmic, atmospheric, meteorological, and laboratory environments involving or accompanying electric charging or electrification, electric discharge, ionization or recombination, particle disruption or coalescence, and space charge transport should be considered as dusty or dirty plasmas containing charged dust grains or aerosols. Such dusty and dirty plasmas can be described on the basis of a new gravito-electrodynamics, self-gravitational plasmad dynamics, electrohydrodynamics, EHD, electromagnetohydrodynamics, EMHD, or kinetic theory extended to dusty plasmas.
  • (2) For tenuous dusty plasmas, particle descriptions for individual grains such as test particles theories or more generally gravito-electrodynamics have been employed to calculate the orbit dynamics of charged grains under the action of gravitational and electro magnetic forces.
  • (3) For dusty and dense dirty plasmas as a continuous medium, a new area of electrohydrodynamics, EHD, and electromagnetohydrodynamics, EMHD, has been explored with the aid of new physical concepts of "electric merging-reconnection" and "critical velocity" as an extension of hydrodynamics, HD, and magneto- hydrodynamics, MHD.
  • (4) For tenuous dusty plasmas, a variety of kinetic (distribution function) approach or dusty plasma physics have been developed particularly for collective effects, including a number of new dusty plasma waves and instabilities.
  • (5) Since dusty and dirty plasmas environments are composed of various forms of coherent and random noise and chaos, interactions between large and small scales of spaciotemporal structure associatedd with noise, fluctuations, and chaos are of basic importance, and have been elucidated and understood on the basis of new concepts of "self-organization" and "chaos" with new statistical approaches to nonlinear, turbulent, parametric, and random fluctuational processes in nonequilibrium media.
  • (6)A number of new observations and theories of dusty and dirty plasmas in extraterrestrial and terrestrial environments and in the laboratory have been obtained as it may be seen in the book "Dusty andd Dirty Plasma, Noise, and Chaos in Space and in the Laboratory" by H. Kikuchi, Plenum Press, 1994.

    5.7.5. Prospect

  • (1) Particle description such as gravito-electrodynamics will be further employed to calculate a variety of orbit dynamics of charged dust particles for extraterrestrial environments such as cometary and planetary atmospheres.
  • (2) Fluid approach such as EHD or EMHD will be applied to a variety of cosmic, atmospheric, meteorological, and laboratory dusty or dirty plasma environments such as interstellar clouds, galactic vortices, X-rays sources, and planetary atmospheres for extraterrestrial environments, and thunderstorms, typhoons, hurricanes, cyclons, tornadoes, and sandstorms for terrestrial environments.
  • (3) For a spatiotemporal structure of dusty and dirty plasma environments, relation between self-organization and chaos should be more elucidated and fully understood on the basis of nonlinear and turbulent processes in nonequilibrium media. On the other hand, basic theories and results are now ready for various applications to atmospheric and meteorologico-electric environments such as cyclons, typhoons, and hurricanes diagnostics.

    5.7.6 Past and Planned Activity

  • (1) An open URSI Workshop on Electromagnetic environment with noise and chaos was held in Tokyo on May 13-14, 1994. (2)An URSI sponsored session on "Noise, Fluctuations, Chaos, and EMC" was organized at the EMC-Wroclaw symposium 1994. (3)An open URSI Symposium entitled "Second URSI-ICPIG-RIKEN Symposium on Critical Problems of Discharge and Plasma Physics and Electro-Plasmo-Meteorology" was organized in Tokyo on Sept. 7-8, 1995.
  • (4) URSI open meeting in Zurich in March 1995.

    5.7.7 Reference

    Hiroshi Kikuchi; "Activity report of URSI Commission E Working Group E7 on Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Meteorologico-Electric Environment with Noise and Chaos"

    5.7.8 Mailing address

    Prof. H. Kikuchi
    College of Science & Technology
    8-14, Kanda Surugadai, 1-chome
    Chioda-ku, Tokyo
    Japan
    Phone:+81 3 3293 3251 ext. 978
    Fax: +81 3 3265 8968, +81 3 3717 9418 (Home)

    5.8 WG E8* The EMC-aspects of the Earth's magnetic field in communications

    Chairperson: Dr. Risto Pirjola (Finland)**
    *Proposed by V. Scuka and R. Pirjola and to be established during the GA in Lille, 1996.

    **Proposed by V. Scuka and to be approved by the Commission E at its business meeting in Lille, 1996.

    The following items are proposed to be preferential in the program of the WG E8:

  • 1. Geomagnetically induced currents, GIC
  • 2. Interference control of geomagnetic fields 3 Magnetically clean equipment Reference: "Connection between research on the geomagnetic field and activities of the URSI Commission E", Risto Pirjola, Finland, May, 1995.

    Mailing address

    Dr. Risto Pirjola
    Finnish Meteorological Institute
    Department of Geophysics
    P. O. Box 503, FIN-00101 Helsinki
    Finland
    Phone: +358 0 1929505
    Fax: +358 0 1929539
    E-mail: Risto.Pirjola@fmi.fi

    6. Reports from the National Committees of URSI Commission E

    7. URSI Commission E sponsored international meetings and conferences.

    8. URSI GA in Lille, 1996. Scientific Sessions organized and sponsored by the URSI Commission E.