Abstract
Post-disaster underground (UG) mine environments are characterized by complex and rapidly changing conditions, adding extra attenuation to propagating electromagnetic (EM) waves. One such complex condition is the extreme generation of dust and sudden rise in humidity contributing to extra attenuation effects to propagating waves, especially under varying airborne humidity and dust levels. The existing wave propagation prediction models, especially those that factor in the effect of dust particles, are deterministic in nature, limiting their ability to account for uncertainties, especially during emergency conditions. In this work, the vector parabolic equation (VPE) model is modified to include dust attenuation effects. Using the complex permittivity of dust as a random variable, the Karhunen–Loève (KL) expansion is used to generate random samples of permittivity along the drifts for which each realization is solved using deterministic VPE method. The model is validated using a modified Friis method and experimentally obtained data from literature. The findings show that accounting for dust and humidity effects stochastically captures the extra losses that would have otherwise been lost using deterministic methods. The proposed framework offers key insights for designing resilient underground wireless systems, strengthening miner tracking, and improving safety during emergencies.
Recommended Citation
E. A. Antwi et al., "Stochastic Modeling of Electromagnetic Wave Propagation through Extreme Dust Conditions in Underground Mines using Vector Parabolic Approach," Information Switzerland, vol. 16, no. 10, article no. 891, MDPI, Oct 2025.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/info16100891
Department(s)
Mining Engineering
Publication Status
Open Access
Keywords and Phrases
attenuation; pathloss; received signal strength; self-escape; stochastic; underground; vector parabolic equation; wave propagation
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2078-2489
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 The Authors, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publication Date
01 Oct 2025
