A METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF LOWER IONOSPHERE PROPERTIES BY MEANS OF FIELD MEASUREMENTS ON SFERICS
Abstract
The propagation of audio-frequency and sub-audiofrequency waves between the earth and an ionosphere whose conductivity varies continuously with altitude is considered in detail. The fields are represented in terms of two scalar potentials satisfying appropriate wave equations in spherical coordinates. The wave equations are separable, and the general form of the solutions is discussed. It is shown that waves in this frequency range can be considered to be confined to a thin, but not sharply bounded, spherical shell about the earth. Greatly simplified radial wave equations in dimensionless form are derived incorporating this approximation. Solutions of these equations are given for two regions. An iterative method is presented, based on an integral equatio , which makes possible a computation of the radial wave function in the transition region and a joining of interior and exterior solutions for the propagating TM mode. The result is a direct mathematical relationship between the conductivity profile and the complex propagation constant as a function of frequency. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0266170
Entities
People
- F. B. Harris Jr.
Organizations
- SRI International