Decentralized Handover in LEO Satellite Networks: A Multi-Agent Dueling Deep Q-Network Approach

Abstract

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks have emerged as a promising solution for global connectivity. However, the high mobility of LEO satellites leads to frequent handovers, which can degrade the quality of service (QoS) for ground users. In this paper, we propose a novel decentralized handover strategy based on Multi-Agent Dueling Deep Q-Network (MADDQN). Unlike traditional centralized schemes, our approach allows each user equipment (UE) to independently make handover decisions based on local observations of signal strength, satellite load, and link duration. By adopting the Dueling DQN architecture, the agents can more effectively estimate the state-value function and action advantage, leading to faster convergence and more stable handover policies. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed MADDQN scheme significantly reduces the handover frequency while maintaining a high system throughput compared to baseline strategies.