Carbon-Aware Orchestration of Integrated Satellite Aerial Terrestrial Networks via Digital Twin

Abstract--Integrated Satellite-Aerial-Terrestrial Networks (ISATNs) are envisioned as key enablers of 6G, providing global connectivity for applications such as autonomous transportation, Industrial IoT, and disaster response. ISATN-specific control knobs, including carbon-aware handovers, UA V duty-cycling, and renewable-aware edge placement, are exploited to reduce emissions. I. Introduction The rapid evolution of next-generation communication systems is driving the integration of Satellite, Aerial, and Terrestrial Networks (ISATNs) into a unified infrastructure capable of delivering seamless global connectivity. This convergence is critical for enabling emerging applications such as autonomous transportation, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), remote healthcare, and disaster response, where reliable, low-latency, and high-capacity communication is essential [ 1 ]. However, the energy consumption associated with operating dense terrestrial base stations, satellite constellations, and aerial platforms introduces significant carbon emissions, posing new challenges for designing energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable integrated networks. As communication networks scale toward 6G and beyond, addressing carbon emissions and energy optimization has become a priority. The increasing reliance on renewable energy sources and fluctuating carbon intensity in power grids demand intelligent orchestration mechanisms capable of balancing Quality of Service (QoS) with environmental impact. S. Javaid is with the College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, and the State Key Laboratory of Autonomous Intelligent Unmanned Systems, Tongji University, Shanghai 201210, China N. Saeed is with the Department of Electrical and Communication Engineering, College of Engineering, UAE University, Al-Ain 15551, UAE (e-mail: mr.nasir.saeed@ieee.org).