Diffraction of Radio Waves in a Stratified Troposphere

The problem of diffraction around a smooth, finitely conducting earth is reexamined with the objective of obtaining an exact solution for the case of an exponential profile of refractivity. The methods employed are largely conventional. However, care is taken to avoid approximations of doubtful accuracy, and the solution is illustrated by numerical computations. It is shown that the method of using an effective earth radius and assuming a homogeneous medium is generally sound.