Abstract
Large parabolic antennas at ground stations are essential for communicating with satellites and space probes. When planning a new large antenna installation, it is crucial to evaluate not only the radio environment but also the wind environment in advance. These factors must be reflected in the antenna's structural strength and in the performance of the actuators that control its direction. Overestimating the worst-case conditions in safety design can drive up fabrication costs, so careful assessment of the wind environment, considering the weather and topography of the candidate site, is essential. However, installing anemometer masts and running Doppler Lidars for a full year is prohibitively expensive. To address this, the authors have initiated research into a wind simulation-based forecasting technique for selecting sites for large antennas, particularly in the complex, undulating terrain unique to the Japanese archipelago. This paper reports on LES analysis conducted for the central part of Nagano Prefecture, where large parabolic antennas have already been installed, and validated the results using on-site anemometer data. The results show a qualitative agreement between the results of the LES analysis and some of the real wind environments.
