ATMOSPHERIC PROPAGATION STUDIES AT OPTICAL, MILLIMETER, AND MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES. PART 2. THE MECHANISM OF SCINTILLATION
Abstract
The scintillation of received signals propagated through some ten miles of atmosphere on narrow beams (one at an optical frequency, the other at a microwave frequency) have been reported in Part I. The present report reviews several explanations which might account for the phenomena. It is found that the scintillation observed in the microwave signal is not out of line with the statistical theories of propagation through a randomly homogeneous atmosphere which have been proposed by others. However, a precise description of the mechanism is still wanting. The scintillation observed in the optical signal is more violent than any previously reported, and shows characteristics at variance with the statistical theories of the atmosphere presented in the literature-- namely, in the occurrence of short intense bursts of signal superimposed on a low-level randomly fluctuating background. Scintillation in analogous phenomena, especially that of radio and optical stars, shows indications of similar traits. The several explanations which have been proposed are mutually at variance, and none stands up well under criticism. Further experiment and study is required if a tenable explanation is to be established.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0466031
Entities
People
- Paul B. Taylor
Organizations
- University of Dayton