Artificial ionospheric mirrors (AIM)

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:7084236

Kossey, P A; Heckscher, J L

This paper describes theoretical and experimental research on the creation, maintenance, and control of artificial layers of ionization in the 50-90 km altitude range. The focus of the research is to assess the potential for exploiting such so-called artificial ionospheric mirrors (AIM) as scatterers of radio waves to distances well beyond line-of-sight. The AIM concept is discussed in terms-of a specific technical approach, the use of ground-based, very high power, RF waves to breakdown the atmosphere. The concept is described in terms of RF requirements to produce breakdown, electron production and losses., resultant ionization densities, and their lifetimes. In addition, issues concerning the RF reflection properties of artificial patches of ionization in the atmosphere are considered. and the potential of exploiting the AIM concept for practical applications is introduced.

• Research Organization: Air Force Geophysics Lab., Hanscom AFB, MA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7084236
• Report Number(s): AD-P-006508/6/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: This article is from 'Conference Proceedings on Ionospheric Modification and its Potential to Enhance or Degrade the Performance of Military Systems held in Bergen, Norway on 28-31 May 1990, AD-A239 823, p17A-1 thru p17A-11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
IONOSPHERE
IONIZATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
REFLECTION
CONTROL
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRONS
LAYERS
MODIFICATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RADIATIONS
661320* - Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena- (1992-)