Ray Tracing in the Troposphere, Ionosphere and Magnetosphere

Abstract

Ray patterns are presented which delineate the propagation of radio signals to large distances by ducting under super-refracting conditions in the troposphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere. The unity of ducting is emphasized in the sense that the ducts, whether they occur in the troposphere, ionosphere, or magnetosphere, all have formally similar features. This unity follows from the circumstance that the rays which propagate to large distances are those which graze a super-refracting layer at shallow glancing angles and which generally traverse only those regions of the propagation medium where the refractive index deviates but slightly from the free-space value.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1971
Accession Number
AD0726997

Entities

People

  • Ming S. Wong

Organizations

  • Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Classification
  • Computers
  • Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
  • Electron Density
  • Electrons
  • Ionosphere
  • Massachusetts
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Radio Signals
  • Radio Transmission
  • Radio Waves
  • Ray Tracing
  • Refractive Index
  • Security
  • Transmitters
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Theoretical Analysis.
  • Wave Propagation and Nonlinear Chaotic Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Space