Investigations of the Effects of Ionospheric Total Electron Content and Scintillation on Transionospheric Radio Wave Propagation
Abstract
Numerous DoD communication, navigation, and surveillance systems depend upon transionospheric propagation of radio signals between space and the ground. The group delay and phase advance encountered by such signals depend upon the path integral of ionospheric plasma density - the so-called total electron content (TEC). Their phase and intensity also can fluctuate due to refractive/diffractive scatter in plasma-density irregularities - i.e., they can suffer complex-signal scintillation. In this project, Northwest Research Associates (NWRA) collaborated with researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Hanscom AFB in the observation and modeling of TEC and scintillation. Central to the TEC effort was operation and refinement of the Air Force Ionospheric Measuring System (AN/GMQ-35). The scintillation effort was confined to development of operational code, called WBMGRID, for running a gridded version of NWRA's scintillation model, WBMOD, with AFRL's Scintillation Decision Aid (SCINDA). Late in the project, effort was re-directed from scintillation research to broader ionospheric questions, as part of the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 26, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA402136
Entities
People
- Andrew J. Mazzella Jr.
- C. C. Andreasen
- Edward J. Fremouw
- Elizabeth A. Holland
- Guan-shu Rao
Organizations
- Northwest Research Associates