MIMO environmental capacity sensitivity

Wireless communications using multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems enable increased spectral efficiency for a given total transmit power. The increased capacity is achieved through the introduction of additional spatial channels (space-time coding). In this paper, MIMO capacity is calculated as a function of environmental factors, including channel complexity, external interference and channel estimation error. The capacity of MIMO systems, where both the transmitter and receiver know the channel (channel estimate feedback), is compared with single input multiple output (SIMO) and MIMO systems, where only the receiver knows the channel. The channel complexity is studied using a simple statistical physical scattering model. Finally, an expression for capacity loss particular to channel estimation error at the transmitter is introduced.