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At least 55 records · Page 3

Radio Wave Propagation for Communication on and around Mars: Highlights: Propagation Through Mars Environment - Part 1

We recommend to use the dayside Martian ionosphere as a reflector for global communication, because the dayside ionosphere has stable density peak and usable critic frequency. This is very crucial for the future Mars ground to around communication. The dayside ionosphere has been well modeled as a Chapman layer. We suggest to perform the Martian nightside ionospheric modeling study. Because the nightside ionosphere has very little measurements available, we propose to drop a digital ionosond instrument into the Mars surface for data collection. Even though the Martian tropospheric radio refractivity has small value, it still can cause the ray bending and multipath effects. We recommend to perform an accurate calculation on excess phase and group delays (range and time delays). Other effects, such as range rate errors, appearance angle deviation, defocusing loss on Mars, etc. are also needed to be estimated. Ice depolarization effects due to Martian clouds on radio waves is unknown yet, which is expected to be small, because lower optical depth and thinner layer of cloud: Total Martian atmospheric gaseous attenuation is expected to be less than 1 dB on microwaves band, because the Martian atmosphere has very low concentration in uncondensed H2O and O2. An accurate calculation for zenith opacity requires the information about scale heights of H2O and O2 distribution. An accurate water vapor altitude profile at Mars is not available yet. Under the normal condition, CO2 and N2 gases do not have electric or magnetic dipoles and do not absorb electromagnetic energy from the waves. However, they may generate the dipoles through a collision and interact with waves under a high density condition and absorb electromagnetic waves in the infrared and visible band. Dust storm is most dominant factor to the radio wave attenuation. Large Martian dust storm can cause at least 3 dB or higher loss to Ka band wave. For a normal dust storm, the attenuation is about 1 dB. The attenuation much depends on dust mass loading, dust size distribution, etc. Most large dust storm occur in the southern hemisphere during later spring and early summer when the southern hemisphere become suddenly hot.

Ho, Christian↗

Association of corotating magnetic sector structure with Jupiters decameter-wave radio emissions

Chree (superposed epoch) analyses of Jupiter's decameter-wave radio emission taken from the new Thieman (1979) catalog show highly significant correlation with solar activity indicated by the geomagnetic Ap index. The correlation effects can be explained in terms of corotating interplanetary magnetic sector features. At times when the solar wind velocity is relatively low, about 300 to 350 km/s, a sector boundary can encounter the Earth and Jupiter almost simultaneously during the period immediately before opposition. After opposition this will not normally occur as the solar wind velocities necessary are too low. The correlation effects are much enhanced for the three apparitions of 1962-1964 during which a relatively stable and long-lived sector pattern was present. Chree analyses for this period indicate periodicities, approximately equal to half the solar rotation period, in the Jupiter data.

Barrow, C. H.↗

Plasma and radio waves from Neptune: Source mechamisms and propagation

The purpose of this project was to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the radio wave emission observed by the planetary radio astronomy (PRA) instrument on board Voyager 2 as it flew by Neptune. The study has included data analysis, theoretical and numerical calculations, and ray tracing to determine the possible source mechanisms and locations of the radiation, including the narrowband bursty and smooth components of the Neptune radio emission.

Menietti, J. Douglas↗

Radio wave emitted by an extensive air showers in 10KHz to 1MHz region

The importance of radio waves in a frequency range of less than 1MHz in an EAS shower is discussed. Estimates of radio intensities at 10KHz, 100KHz and 1MHz in EAS showers made on the basis of the Kahn-Lerche theory. Negative charge excess in a shower is the main source of low frequency radio emission, in spite of the importance of the contribution of transverse current in the geomagnetic field in a higher frequency range. An estimate is also made for radio intensity produced when the shower hits the ground. The contribution of this process seems to be important at a large distance, i.e., beyond 1km from the shower axis.

Nichimura, J.↗

Thermal response of the F region ionosphere in artificial modification experiments by HF radio waves

The thermal response of the nighttime F region ionosphere to local heating by HF radio waves has been observed with the incoherent scatter radar at Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The observations consist of high-resolution space and time variation of the electron temperature as a high-power HF transmitter is switched on and off with a period 240 s. As soon as the HF transmitter is turned on, the electron temperature begins to rise rapidly in a narrow altitude region near 300 km, below the F2 layer peak. The electron temperature perturbation subsequently spreads over a broader altitude region. The observations are compared with the anticipated thermal response of the ionosphere based on numerical solutions of the coupled time-dependent heat conduction equations for the electron and composite ion gases and are found to be in good agreement over the entire altitude region covered by the observations.

Mantas, G. P.↗

Radio Wave Propagation Handbook for Communication on and Around Mars

This handbook examines the effects of the Martian environment on radio wave propagation on Mars and in the space near the planet. The environmental effects include these from the Martian atmosphere, ionosphere, global dust storms, aerosols, clouds, and geomorphologic features. Relevant Martian environmental parameters were extracted from the measurements of Mars missions during the past 30 years, especially from Mars Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor. The results derived from measurements and analyses have been reviewed through an extensive literature search. The updated parameters have been theoretically analyzed to study their effects on radio propagation. This handbook also provides basic information about the entire telecommunications environment on and around Mars for propagation researchers, system engineers, and link analysts. Based on these original analyses, some important recommendations have been made, including the use of the Martian ionosphere as a reflector for Mars global or trans-horizon communication between future Martian colonies, reducing dust storm scattering effects, etc. These results have extended our wave propagation knowledge to a planet other than Earth; and the tables, models, and graphics included in this handbook will benefit telecommunication system engineers and scientific researchers.

Ho, Christian↗

Kilometric radio waves generated along auroral field lines observed by ground facilities - A theoretical model

A theory of generation of radio waves observed by ground-based facilities in the frequency range 150-700 kHz is discussed. This work is a continuation of an earlier discussion (Wu et al., 1989) in which it was proposed that the trapped electrons along the auroral field lines can lead to a cyclotron instability which amplifies the whistler waves observed at ground level. The objective of the present study is to investigate the propagation effect on the wave amplification and to examine whether the proposed mechanism is indeed viable.

Ziebell, L. F.↗

Radio wave scattering observations of the solar corona First-order measurements of expansion velocity and turbulence spectrum using Viking and Mariner 10 spacecraft

Radio wave scattering data were collected at 3.6 and 13 cm wavelengths by means of the radio link between the Viking orbiters and the earth during the Nov. 25, 1976 solar conjunction of Mars, which occurred near the beginning of solar cycle 21; Mariner 10 solar activity observations during 1974 are also used. It is found that the temporal frequency variance spectrum of amplitude fluctuations is useful for characterizing the bulk motion of the plasma, and the spectral index of electron density turbulence is obtained. The measurements of solar wind velocity and spectral index cover 78 days for Viking and 49 days for Mariner 10 and show the combined effects of changing heliocentric distance, solar latitude, and solar longitude as well as solar activity. It is concluded that the observational velocity profile differs significantly from the theoretical profiles in two ways: (1) the theoretical profile does not show the abrupt change in velocity at about 15 solar radii, and (2) the observational profile shows acceleration at larger radial distances than the model profiles. The observational profiles indicate velocities of less than about 150 km/sec out to 15 solar radii.

Tyler, G. L.↗

A study of electron density profiles in relation to ionization sources and ground-based radio wave absorption measurements, part 2

The D-region ion production functions are used to calculate the relationship between radio wave absorption and the flux level of X-rays in the 1-8A wavelength band. In order to bring this calculation into agreement with the empirically established relationship, it was found necessary to reduce by, a factor of about 5, the Meira nitric oxide densities below 90 km.

Gnanalingam, S.↗

Radio Wave Scattering in the Outer Heliosphere: Preliminary Calculations

Detailed first estimates are presented of angular broadening in the outer heliosphere due to scattering of radio waves by density irregularities. The application is to the 2-3 kHz radiation observed by Voyager. Two plausible turbulence models, which account very well for scattering within 1 AU, are extrapolated beyond 10 AU. Both models predict significant angular broadening in the outer heliosphere, accounting semi- quantitatively alone for the source sizes inferred from roll modulation data. Predictions are presented for radial variations in the apparent source size if scattering is important. Comparisons with available data argue that scattering is important (and indeed is the dominant contributor to the apparent source size) and that the radiation source is located in the outer heliosphere. Other evidence that scattering is important, such as the fluctuations in apparent source direction and intensity, are also identified. The effects of scattering should be included in future analyses of the 2-3 kHz emissions.

Cairns, Iver H.↗