ANALYSIS OF ELECTRON CONTENT ERRORS INTRODUCED THROUGH USE OF A SIMPLIFIED FARADAY ROTATION TECHNIQUE.
Abstract
Faraday rotation has proved to be an exceedingly useful tool in the study of the ionosphere. The amount of rotation of the electric vector of a linearly polarized radio wave is directly proportional to the number of free electrons along the propagation path. Unfortunately the rotation angle at radar frequencies of interest is typically ambiguous. That is to say, the amount of rotation usually exceeds 180 degrees. The rotational ambiguity may be avoided by making certain simplifying assumptions. The ultimate accuracy of the electron content measurements is obviously dependent upon the truthfulness of the assumptions which are embodied in the simplifications. In actuality only one assumption must be made - that of total electron content invariance over a given period of time. This assumption requires that the ionospheric structure be uniform in space and a constant function of time. It also requires that the target be superionospheric. The degree of error introduced by these constraints is the subject of this note. The discussion is specifically directed toward the problem of deducing the columnar electron content between the Randle Cliff radar site and Echo II (1964-4A) satellite. Nevertheless, in principle, the Faraday error analysis may be applied to any satellites. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0631227
Entities
People
- John M. Goodman
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory