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We propose and analyze a low-complexity channel estimator for a multiuser multicarrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) downlink in a time-variant frequency-selective channel. MC-CDMA is based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). The time-variant channel is estimated individually for every flat-fading subcarrier, assuming small intercarrier interference. The temporal variation of every subcarrier over the duration of a data block is upper bounded by the Doppler bandwidth determined by the maximum velocity of the users. Slepian showed that time-limited snapshots of bandlimited sequences span a low-dimensional subspace. This subspace is also spanned by discrete prolate spheroidal (DPS) sequences. We expand the time-variant subcarrier coefficients in terms of orthogonal DPS sequences we call Slepian basis expansion. This enables a time-variant channel description that …