Propagation of RF Signals through Structured Ionization: The General Model
Abstract
Design and evaluation of radio frequency (RF) systems that must operate through ionospheric disturbances requires an accurate channel model. Such a model can be used to construct realizations of the received signal for use in digital simulations of transionospheric communications links and radars or hardware channel simulators. This report presents a review of RF propagation through structured ionization, starting with Maxwell's equations and ending with the two-position, two frequency, two-time mutual coherence function of the received signal. The derivation of the mutual coherence function requires a model for the temporal and spatial variations of the electron density fluctuations in the ionosphere. Under Taylor's frozen in hypothesis, the electron density fluctuations are described as a rigid structure that drifts past the line-of-sight. In the fully turbulent case, the spatial and temporal fluctuations of the electron density are uncorrelated. Reality should lie somewhere between these two limiting models.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA234051
Entities
People
- Rober A. Dana