NTIA Report TR-83-124

Further Investigations of the Multiple Knife-Edge Attenuation Function

May 1983

L.E. Vogler

Abstract: The multiple knife-edge (MKE) attenuation function is derived from Fresnel-Kirchhoff theory and compared with the original derivation from Furutsu’s generalized residue series. It is shown that the two methods give complex attenuations with the same absolute magnitude but differing in phase. The analytical basis for an improved computational procedure is developed that eliminates the changeover values and abrupt discontinuities of attenuation inherent in the original MKE computer program. A brief discussion of previous MKE diffraction results is presented and an example comparison is made with the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction and the approximations of Epstein-Peterson and Deygout.

Keywords: attenuation calculations; electromagnetic wave propagation; multiple knife-edge diffraction

• Title Page, Table of Contents, List of Figures

• Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: The Fresnel-Kirchhoff Derivation

• Chapter 3: Elimination of Changeover Values

• Chapter 4: Discussion

• Chapter 5: Summary; Chapter 6: References

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