AST COV 2011 — ESM Electromagnetic Spectrum Management

AST COV 2011 - ESM Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Presentation to the COV Tom Gergely Andrew Clegg Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Unit February 8, 2011

2 AST COV 2011 - ESM

AST COV 2011 - ESM Purpose of Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Unit: 1) Facilitate Spectrum Use • To facilitate the use of the radio spectrum for NSF-sponsored projects – Certification and licensing of systems that transmit on the public airwaves • Ionospheric and magnetospheric radars (AMISR, Super. DARN, Arecibo) • Arecibo ionospheric heating facility • Oceanographic radars for current and sea-state measurements (especially important post-Deepwater Horizon) • Arecibo planetary radar • Nanosatellite (“Cubesat”) missions (pesky issue) • Weather radars (NCAR) • Routine point-to-point links, voice communications, paging systems, etc. • Certification and licensing is about 10 -20% of effort, but it’s never routine due to the highly specialized nature of most of our transmitters 3

AST COV 2011 - ESM Purpose of Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Unit: 2) Protect Spectrum Use • To protect the use of the radio spectrum for NSF-sponsored projects – Participation in national and international regulatory arenas (NTIA, FCC, ITU, and regional coordination bodies) • Includes participation in ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences every 3 -4 years (next one is one year from now; requires 3 -4 years of preparation) • NSF is the only representative for U. S. radio astronomy interests • • – Liaison with radio frequency interference (RFI) protection personnel at NSF centers (NCAR, NRAO, NAIC, NOAO, Polar Programs, others) – Outreach (RFI summer schools, URSI presentations, IAU presentations, and constant interaction with other spectrum users through various regulatory activities) – Majority funding of National Academies’ CORF Enormous pressure on our existing bandwidth – The value of the spectrum reserved for radio astronomy exceeds the entire budget of the NSF – Recent events in the UK underscore need to continue protection and outreach efforts Protection requires ~80 – 90 % of ESMU effort 4

AST COV 2011 - ESM

AST COV 2011 - ESM 38, 576. 67 MHz 12. 9% 6

AST COV 2011 - ESM WRC-12 Agenda Items of Interest to Radio Astronomy • The main event: – Revision of footnote RR 5. 565 - Spectrum Above 275 GHz • Specific Allocation Issues: – Spectrum for unmanned aircraft – Additional spectrum for aeronautical mobile (route) service • Specific to the band 5000 -5030 GHz (LANs at airports) • Complementing the GMDSS – – – Fixed service in the range 71 – 238 GHz Radiolocation service in the 30 – 300 MHz range Oceanographic radar in the range 3 – 50 MHz High altitude platform station link in the range 5850 – 7500 MHz Primary radiolocation service allocation in the band 15. 4 – 15. 7 GHz • Non-specific Issues: – Software defined radio and cognitive radio systems – Short-range devices – Additional spectrum for the mobile-satellite service 7

AST COV 2011 - ESM Above 275 GHz: Footnote 5. 565 The International (and US) Table(s) of Frequency Allocations presently extend to an upper limit of 275 GHz. Footnote RR 5. 565 : “The frequency band 275 -1000 GHz may be used by administrations for experimentation with, and development of, various active and passive services. In this band a need has been identified for the following spectral line measurements for passive services: “Radio astronomy service: 275 -323 GHz, 327 -371 GHz, 388 -424 GHz, 426 - 442 GHz, 453510 GHz, 623 -711 GHz, 795 -909 GHz and 926 -945 GHz; “Earth exploration-satellite service (passive) and space research service (passive): 275 -277 GHz, 294 -306 GHz, 316 -334 GHz, 342 -349 GHz, 363 -365 GHz, 371 -389 GHz, 416 -434 GHz, 442 -444 GHz, 496 -506 GHz, 546 -568 GHz, 624 -629 GHz, 634 -654 GHz, 659 -661 GHz, 684 -692 GHz, 730 -732 GHz, 851 -853 GHz and 951 -956 GHz. “Future research in this largely unexplored spectral region may yield additional spectral lines and continuum bands of interest to the passive services. Administrations are urged to take all practicable steps to protect these passive services from harmful interference until the date when the allocation Table is established in the above-mentioned frequency band. ” 8

AST COV 2011 - ESM Above 275 GHz • WRC-12 is supposed to revise the content of footnote (list of bands up to 1 000 GHz) and extend its reach up to 3 000 GHz • The bands of interest to radio astronomy up to 1 0000 GHz list all bands accessible from the ground and need not be revised • The bands of interest to space research (RA from Space) will be revised slightly to cover some bands of interest to EESS, but cover most bands of interest to radio astronomy from space. • Conclusion: No revisions are needed up to 1 000 GHz for radio astronomy • Between 1000 – 3000 GHz sharing is feasible between passive and active services, due to: – Very high atmospheric absorption in this range – Very small antenna beam sizes, even for moderate size antennas – Limited amount of power can be generated at these frequencies • Conclusion: the 1000 – 3000 GHz range can be shared, practically without restrictions by active and passive services. • The conclusions will be reflected in the revised footnote! 9

AST COV 2011 - ESM Some Specific Allocation Issues • Spectrum for unmanned aircraft • About 130 MHz sought for this purpose for terrestrial and satellite components, up and downlinks • One possible, but unlikely band that may be targeted is 1610 -1626. 5 MHz that contains the OH line • Fixed service (point-to-point transmissions) in the 71 – 238 GHz range • Compatibility with radio astronomy has to be considered. In all likelihood it will be left as a national issue. • High altitude platform station links in the range 5850 – 7500 MHz • 6668 MHz methanol line in this band. The 6650 -6670 MHz range will be avoided for downlinks, if an allocation is made (very doubtful, few countries in favor) • Additional spectrum for aeronautical mobile (route) service • Specific to the band 5000 -5030 GHz (LANs at airports) • Reserved for surface LAN’s at airports- little impact on radio astronomy • Primary radiolocation service allocation in the band 15. 4 – 15. 7 GHz • Strong push from US – adjacent passive band (15. 35 -15. 4 GHz protected by footnote

AST COV 2011 - ESM Non Band Specific Issues • Regulation of software defined radio and cognitive radio systems • Regulation of short-range devices (RFIDs) These Agenda items do have a potential impact on radio astronomy, but US and many other countries do see them as national issues and it is unlikely that any action will be taken at the WRC. • Convergence of Radio Services Another issue on which not much is likely to happen, except, possibly by merging the fixed and mobile services.

AST COV 2011 - ESM Outreach Third Summer School in Spectrum Management for Radio Astronomy, held at NAOJ, Mitaka, Japan, May 31 - June 4, 2010 Program and presentations may be found at: http: //www. iucaf. org/SSS 2010/

AST COV 2011 - ESM Spectrum Management Challenges 2011 - 2014 • Spectrum protections and coordination for new generations of broadband radio astronomy systems – Hydrogen Era of Reionization Array (HERA) systems (MWA, SKA, etc. ) & low-frequency systems (i. e. , LWA) – EVLA • Picosatellite systems (Cubesats) – International issue, but just getting past national regulators has been difficult • World Radiocommunication Conference – Many issues to follow – Availability of travel funds • Where does ESMU 13 belong?

Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS) A Proposed New Interdisciplinary NSF Initiative

National Priorities: Wireless • National Broadband Plan (March 2010) – Congressional mandate to FCC in ARRA: Connect all Americans to broadband • Includes wireless & wired; several NBP recommendations involve NSF – NBP Recommendation 5. 14: “[T]he National Science Foundation, in consultation with the FCC and NTIA, should fund wireless research and development that will advance the science of spectrum access” • EARS is directly responsive to this recommendation • Presidential Memorandum on Unleashing the Wireless Broadband Revolution (June 2010) – Calls on NSF to work with Commerce Department “to create and implement a plan to facilitate research, development, experimentation, and testing by researchers to explore innovative spectrum-sharing technologies” • NSF’s EARS is a major component of this plan (EARS and NSF are specifically mentioned in White House fact sheet accompanying the Presidential Memorandum) • NSF and Commerce are co-chairing a NITRD sub-group to meet this directive • State of the Union (January 2011) (five-year wireless objective) – “. . . This isn't just about faster Internet or fewer dropped calls. It's about connecting every part of America to the digital age. . . ”

EARS Background • Not a recent development – first conceived by NSF’s Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Unit in 2006 • “Perfect storm” of opportunity – 2008: Congress mandates National Broadband Plan, with spectrum as a critical component (fixed broadband networks are also included) – 2009: spectrum becomes a priority of the new administration • Shortly after, OSTP learns that NSF has already conceived of EARS – 2010: Do. D independently contacts NSF to encourage investments in spectrum research to help meet long-term national defense goals • In the last 18 months, NSF’s EARS has quickly become the center of national attention for spectrum R&D 16 3/20/2018

EARS Workshop Held in August 2010 40 invited experts across science, engineering, networking, economics, and commercial/government/military sectors Presentations by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell-Baker, and acting NSF Director, Dr. Cora Marrett Additional participants and observers included representatives of the White House (OSTP and NEC), Congress, and the World Bank Workshop charge Identify interdisciplinary research opportunities that will Lead to future enhancements in the efficiency by which the radio spectrum is used Enhance the ability of all Americans to access broadband wireless services and realize other benefits derived from efficient spectrum use Results from three days of interdisciplinary breakout sessions List of research priorities – ~150 cross-cutting topics to help address present and future spectrum challenges and meet national goals Attendees strongly endorsed the EARS program concept Workshop report available on NSF Web site (EARS program page) 17 3/20/2018

EARS Program Concept Fund research that will lead to increased efficiency with which radio spectrum is used and/or lead to enhanced access to wireless services for all Americans Emphasis is on meeting the challenges through interdisciplinary research Particular interest in collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries (will be an additional merit review criterion) Several broad areas of investment interest include: New interdisciplinary technology solutions that enable spectrum efficiency and enhanced spectrum access including hardware and materials innovations, new spectrum access methods and protocols, spectrum security, and interference mitigation. Green spectrum technologies that enable energy efficient communications and radio systems with low environmental impact in fabrication and disposal. Innovative technologies that expand the use of the radio spectrum including millimeter-wave communication systems and free-space optical communication networks. Interdisciplinary research on spectrum allocation and assignment including market- and nonmarket-based methods for spectrum access and usage, economics of radio spectrum access including auctions and secondary markets. Research on the social, behavioral and economic impact of wireless, including new (and potentially disruptive) technologies; physical and social networks; the adoption and use of wireless and related technologies; implications for access to educational, health and other resources; the impact of wireless and continuous monitoring on social and economic interactions of individuals, groups and organizations; the creation and impact of public policies and regulations around wireless allocation and use. The development of new wireless testbeds that will support experiments into increased efficiency with which the spectrum is used. EARS will give full consideration to all cross-cutting proposals with viable innovative ideas for increasing radio spectrum efficiency and access. Complementary Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program under consideration 18 3/20/2018

EARS Next Steps (Programmatic) January 2011 Preliminary management plan and solicitation drafted by MPS, ENG, CISE, & SBE (Status: complete) Draft plan created for coordinating EARS within NSF and among federal government agencies (Status: complete) Coordination plan and solicitation to OMB (Status: complete) Simultaneous single-topic STTR solicitation developed (Status: under consideration in IIP) Would extend EARS funding for collaborative small business/university technology transfer March 2011: Solicitation submitted for clearance June 2011: Solicitation published October 2011: First EARS proposal deadline November 2011: EARS STTR deadline April 2012: First awards Fall/Winter 2012: First grantees conference 19 3/20/2018