Statistical Characterization of Second-Order Scattering Fading Channels

We present a new approach to the statistical characterization of the second-order scattering fading (SOSF) channel model, which greatly simplifies its analysis. Exploiting the unadvertised fact that the SOSF channel can be seen as a continuous mixture of Rician fading channels, we obtain expressions for its probability density function and cumulative density function that are numerically better-behaved than those available in the literature. Our approach allows for obtaining new results for the SOSF model, such as a closed-form expression for its moment-generating function, as well as the characterization of the average channel capacity. Relevantly, and somehow counterintuitively, we observe that in the presence of a strong line-of-sight (LOS) component, the channel capacity of a LOS plus double-Rayleigh scattered diffuse component is larger than its LOS plus Rayleigh (i.e., Rician-like) counterpart.