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Effects of Ions on Whistler‐Mode Ray Tracing
Author(s) -
Kimura Iwane
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1002/rds196613269
Subject(s) - whistler , ray tracing (physics) , ion , physics , electron , computational physics , transverse plane , electron density , mode (computer interface) , atomic physics , optics , computer science , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , structural engineering , engineering , operating system
Ray tracing for whistler‐mode propagation has been performed with the effects of ions included. The method is similar. to that employed by Yabroff but for the modification in the refractive index due to ions. Outstanding characteristics of the ray paths in such a medium result from the existence of purely transverse propagation at the lower frequencies. The main purpose of this study is to confirm the Smith interpretation of the “subprotonospheric” whistlers. It is found that an enhancement of electron density at the latitude of interest can support the ray path of the fractional hop as Smith suggested, as well as a possibility of successive echoes through a single path. The effect of collisions on propagation is also discussed.