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Transequatorial VHF propagation through equatorial plasma bubbles
Author(s) -
Heron M. L.,
McNamara L. F.
Publication year - 1979
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 - 10.1029/rs014i005p00897
Subject(s) - ionosphere , ionization , plasma , ionospheric propagation , geophysics , computational physics , physics , radio propagation , high frequency , wave propagation , sporadic e propagation , f region , radio wave , atmospheric sciences , geology , ion , optics , astronomy , quantum mechanics
The support by the nighttime equatorial ionosphere of radio wave propagation at frequencies exceeding 50 MHz is explained in terms of guiding along field‐aligned tubes of depleted ionization resulting from the postsunset creation of equatorial plasma bubbles. By using the observed and theoretical properties of these bubbles, and considering in a numerical fashion a large ensemble of model bubbles, it is possible to reproduce many of the observed characteristics of transequatorial propagation at VHF.