Abstract
The propagation of low frequency electromagnetic waves in the atmosphere of the earth is a function of the degree of ionization of the constituent gases. The ionization is produced (Friedman, 1962; Ratcliffe, 1960) by the short-wave electromagnetic spectrum of the sun, X-rays and ultra-violet; and to some extent by particles, cosmic rays, meteors, and ion clouds from the sun. In general, a given ionizing agent will produce a layer with maximum ionization rate at some level, for the ionizing flux finds very few atoms or molecules to ionize at very great heights in the atmosphere. Then as the radiation penetrates more deeply, more ions sec−1cm−3 are produced, but in this process the ionizing radiation is absorbed so that at lower heights the rate of ionization again falls to lower values, even though more ionizable molecules are present. Thus, any specific ionization process tends to produce a layer with a maximum ionization rate at some level.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Appleton, E. V.: Proc. Roy. Soc. 42, 321 (1930).
Bowles, K. L.: Phys. Rev. Letters, 1, 454 (1958).
Budden, K. G.: Cambridge Conf. on Ionospheric (Phys. Soc.) 332 (1954).
Davids, N.: J. Geophys. Res. 58, 311 (1953).
Försterling, K.: Hochfrequency vs. Elek Akus 59, 10 (1942).
Friedmann, H.: Proc. of Int. Conf. on Ionosphere, London (Inst. of Physics and the Physical Society) 3 (July 1962).
Gibbons, J., and F. Bellas: Pennsylvania State Univ. Ionosphere Research Report No. 42 (1952).
Gibbons, J., and R. Rao: J.A.T.P. 11, 151 (1957).
Nicolet, M., and A. J. Aikin: J. Geophys. Res. 65, 1469 (1960).
Ratcliffe, J. A.: “Physics of the Upper Atmosphere,” New York Academic Press (1960).
Schmerling, E. R.: Pennsylvania State Univ. Ionosphere Research Report No. 94 (1957).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1964 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this paper
Cite this paper
Gibbons, J.J. (1964). The Ionosphere: Propagation Theory. In: Bleil, D.F. (eds) Natural Electromagnetic Phenomena below 30 kc/s. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6425-0_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6425-0_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-6210-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-6425-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive