Atmospheric Attenuation

Atmospheric attenuation refers to the reduction in signal strength as electromagnetic signals, like radio or satellite signals, pass through Earth's atmosphere. Various atmospheric conditions—such as rain, fog, humidity, and cloud cover—absorb or scatter the signal energy, causing it to weaken. This can affect communication clarity and signal quality, especially over long distances or at higher frequencies. Essentially, atmospheric attenuation is the atmosphere's natural dampening effect on signals, which engineers must consider when designing reliable communication systems.