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Scattering of VLF Radio Waves in the Curved Earth‐Ionosphere Waveguide
Author(s) -
Bahar E.
Publication year - 1968
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/rds196832145
Subject(s) - earth–ionosphere waveguide , ionosphere , waveguide , curvature , physics , scattering , radio wave , figure of the earth , computational physics , planar , optics , electric field , radio propagation , geophysics , geology , ionospheric heater , geometry , geodesy , mathematics , computer science , computer graphics (images) , quantum mechanics , astronomy
Extensive model studies have been carried out in the past to investigate the effects of ionospheric perturbations on VLF radio propagation in the earth‐ionosphere waveguide. In these model studies the surface of the earth is considered flat and the ionosphere is characterized by a finite surface impedance of variable effective height. However, the restrictions for the flat‐earth model are not satisfied for modes of near‐grazing incidence. As shown before by Wait, a planar structure that supports the desired modes may be constructed simply by modifying the medium of propagation in the straight rectangular dual‐model waveguide. As a result of including the earth's curvature in the model, the analysis yields an explanation for the relatively large undulations in the electric field observed at the surface of the earth. The larger undulations in the “curved” model are a result of both the modification of the characteristic functions and a larger scattering coefficient.