Remote sensing of irregularities in the equatorial ionosphere using the radio scintillation technique

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 UTC 1984

OSTI ID:5739097

Franke, S J

Experimental measurements of signal level fluctuations (scintillation) on VHF and microwave signals from two geostationary communications satellites are studied in detail. The signals were recorded at an equatorial location which is almost directly beneath the satellites. The scintillation is caused by refraction and diffraction of the signals by variations of the refractive index in the Flayer of the ionosphere. This study is directed toward using the observed multifrequency scintillation to remotely sense the characteristics of the ionospheric irregularities. This is done by considering both statistical and deterministic models for the scintillation producing irregularities. The models are combined with existing propagation theory using analytical and numerical simulation techniques in order to predict the spatial and temporal characteristics of the multifrequency scintillation. Comparison with the observations is used to verify the models. Extensive use is made of numerical simulation. This makes it possible to study both weak and strong scintillations which occur simultaneously on the microwave and VHF frequencies, respectively. In all cases, the models are chosen to be consistent with results from other remote sensing techniques and in situ measurements. Geophysical implications of the results are discussed in light of what is known about equatorial irregularities from previous experimental and theoretical studies.

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Urbana (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5739097
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DISTURBANCES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUATOR
GEOS SATELLITES
IONOSPHERE
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
REMOTE SENSING
SATELLITES
SCINTILLATIONS
SHORT WAVE RADIATION