Computation of the key parameters of radio signals propagating through a perturbed ionosphere in the land-satellite channel

N. Blaunstein, S. A. Pulinets, Y. Cohen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

An analysis of the key parameters of HF/UHF radio signals was carried out for land-satellite radio channels, which determine the effects of fading in a perturbed ionosphere. Using the parameters of the perturbed plasma, the effects of the absorption and phase fluctuations of radio signals are analyzed for a channel with fading. For the evaluation of the effect of scattering of a radio signal by ionospheric inhomogeneities in an approximation of small-scale scintillations, expressions for the root-mean-square (RMS) magnitude of signal intensity and phase scintillations are presented. Scintillation index σI2 that corresponds to variations in a signal under the conditions of multipath propagation with fading is investigated by using experimental data. It is shown that roughly ~10% of inhomogeneities of the electron concentration in the F region of the ionosphere, perturbed during a magnetic storm, yield strong quickly fading radio signals in the VHF/UHF range with significant fluctuations (up to 1%) in the intensity of the signal and phase fluctuations (up to hundreds of radians). The calculated magnitudes of the scintillation index are in good agreement with experimentally observed data.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)204-215
Number of pages12
JournalGeomagnetism and Aeronomy
Volume53
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2 Apr 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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