Electromagnetics and signal processing for spaceborne applications

Objectives of the course

The EMSP course is aimed at providing students with an introductory, yet solid, knowledge of the physics of ElectroMagnetic (EM) waves and basic Signal Processing (SP) methods, specifically intended for future space engineers interested in approaching the application side of the Spaceborne Industry. The EMSP course concerns methodological aspects, intended to complement and enrich the students’ background by providing the necessary knowledge not to get lost in space when it comes to handling some kind of information.

Contents (first part of the course)

The topics of the course are (first part):

  • Electrostatic field: electric charge, Coulomb’s force, main properties of the field. Interaction of materials with electric field: conductors and dielectrics
  • Magnetostatic field: Current and current density. Main properties of the magnetostatic field. Magnetic polarization
  • Time variant fields and plane waves: Maxwell’s’ equations and EM fields. Wave equation and its solution for plane waves in the time-space and phasorial domains. Propagation velocity, propagation constant. Lossless and lossy media. Reflection and refraction of EM waves due to discontinuities in the media: orthogonal (TEM) and slant (TE and TM)
  • Antennas: basic parameters of antennas (directivity, gain, directivity function, efficiency, beamwidth, …), types and application. Link budget in free space
  • Transmission lines: reflection coefficient and impedance at the load section and along the line, matching at the generator and/or load section. Lossy transmission lines: equivalent circuit with distributed parameters, power available at the generator and power transfer
  • Metallic waveguides: main features, TE and TM models, cutoff frequency, wavelength and propagation velocity, monomode usage. Dielectric waveguides (fibers): main features

Books (first part of the course)

  • C. Riva, G. G. Gentili, Handbook of Electromagnetics, Maggioli Editore (English version)
  • C. Riva, G. G. Gentili, Appunti di campi elettromagnetici, Maggioli Editore (Italian version)

Exams with solution

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