HIGH RESOLUTION GROUND-BASED SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT OF IONOSPHERIC ELECTRON DENSITY AND COLLISION FREQUENCY
Abstract
The feasibility of making high resolution groundbased, simultaneous measurements of ionospheric electron density and collision frequency as rapidly varying functions of time was shown. A system is proposed which utilizes a microwave radar and an HF transmitter and receiver, eachAT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. It is proposed to measure electron density by use of the backscattered return from the radar operating at vertical incidence. Simultaneously the collision frequency at the same point in space is measured by means of the cross-modulation between the microwave and HF systems. Since the transferred absorption depends on the inverse square of the wanted wave frequency, and not on the frequency of the interfering wave, it is possible to utilize the high spatial resolution inherent in a microwave system, degraded somewhat because of the use of the HF system, in regions of normal ionospheric electron density, whereas with a wanted transmitter operating at microwave frequencies, such a measurement is not possible. The spatial resolution obtainable with this proposed system is less than 5 km. The technique is useful in the determination of attenuation, reflection, refraction, etc. of radio waves, or radio wave propagation. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 31, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0254861
Entities
People
- Frances Richey
- R.s. Wehner