An innovative idea to measure rainfall
Microwave links transmitting data within mobile phone networks are disturbed by rainfall.
EAWAG and LTE (Environmental Remote Sensing Laboratory) researchers use the attenuation affecting the link signal in order to estimate the rainfall intensity between two antennas. Since telecommunication networks are distributed over the entire country, this approach has the potential to provide accurate rain rate estimates at high spatial and temporal resolution, in particular over urban areas.
The radio program 'Impatience' of the RSR1 speaks about this particular subject (in French).