Propagation of Transient Signals through Nonlinear, Ionized Media.

Abstract

The diurnal and random motion of the ionosphere cause both translation and spreading of the frequency spectrum of signals transmitted through it. A predictive model was built and compared to experimental data and found to successfully predict frequency shifts and spreads induced by ionospheric inhomogeneities. Another model was developed to describe the reflection of HF pulses by a randomly inhomogeneous, dispersive and absorptive ionosphere. It is seen that delay distortion, diffuse multipath and frequency incoherence effects are small compared to the discrete multipath spread resulting from large scale variations of the ionospheric electron number density. In laboratory experiments the electron number density profile of a low pressure RF-generated Argon plasma was measured concurrently using microwave and optical diagnostic techniques. In a peripheral study, interesting results in antenna performance for efficient pulse radiation were found. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 30, 1981
Accession Number
ADA106754

Entities

People

  • Robert E. McIntosh

Organizations

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Communication Channels
  • Dispersions
  • Distortion
  • Doppler Effect
  • Electric Fields
  • Electromagnetic Pulses
  • Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
  • Electron Density
  • Electrons
  • Emission
  • Experimental Data
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Bands
  • Frequency Shift
  • Pulse Compression
  • Radiation
  • Wave Propagation

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electromagnetic Wave Scattering and Antenna Radiation Engineering
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Radar Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics